Silver MoonWolf
by Spunky0ne
Summary: A pregnant Byakuya is believed dead after disaster strikes at his and Renji's wedding. Everyone is convinced Byakuya is dead...except for an inconsolable Renji, who vows to find his lost fiance and bring him home...mpreg
1. Fireworks

**Silver Moon-Wolf**

**By Spunky0ne**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

_**(This story is the brainchild or Lightning the Flash and Genesis Beautiful Soul, who are big supporters of my work and I owe a debt of gratitude to for that, and for this lovely storyline. Blending small elements of such stories as Between Twilight and Dawn and Lightning the Flash's own In Full Bloom Once Again, it takes on a life of its own and forms a new incarnation of my favorite love triangle Bya/Ren with a deliciously devious Aizen Sousuke thrown in to make the lovers fight to protect their love. Ah, I never get tired of this. Thanks so much for handing me such a lovely plot bunny! Let's see, warnings for angst, mpreg and some non-con sex…you know, the usual. LOL Happy Reading! P.S.-Yes, geecee, this will be an enjoyable one for you too!) **_

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Prologue: New Year's Fireworks**

"Are you warm enough, Byakuya?" Renji asked, handing the noble a glass of golden liquid and sitting down next to him on the black sofa that had been moved out of the penthouse apartment they had rented for New Years and onto the open rooftop so that they could better see the Karakura Town fireworks display.

Byakuya nodded and accepted the glass from Renji's hand.

"I'd be warmer still if this was something a bit stronger than sparkling apple cider, but this little one would not appreciate my use of alcohol," the noble said, rubbing his swollen abdomen.

"Aww…he's part Abarai, ne? He'd probably handle it just fine…but we don't want to take any chances," Renji chuckled.

Byakuya blinked and gazed at his glass.

"You're drinking cider as well, Renji? Why?" he asked.

Renji grinned.

"Because I'm going to be kissing you at midnight…and then doing whatever else we can manage without disturbing the little guy…so…if I'm going to be doing…that…"

"I see," Byakuya said, his lips curling into a smile, "Good planning."

"Well…I learned from the best," Renji said, leaning forward and capturing his lips hungrily.

"Save some for midnight, Abarai…"

He glanced back into the apartment, where guests were gathering.

"Not much longer now," he went on, "and I will officially be yours."

"We're almost ready," Renji said

"This was a good idea, Renji," Byakuya said quietly, "Being married at the start of the New Year…a lovely idea."

"Well," Renji said, "as long as this little one is polite and waits until at least morning to be born. You're already overdue. Just try to get to the end of the vows before having him, okay?"

"Actually," said Byakuya, "That is up to our son…and as active as he's been, I think it's going to be hard to call."

"Really," Renji said, laying his hand on the noble's belly.

A dreamy smile crept over his face as the baby moved beneath his hand.

Byakuya let out a pleased breath.

"He knows it's you. He always kicks harder when you touch him."

"Huh…" huffed Renji, "I hope that doesn't mean he's going to push me around like you do!"

Perish the thought…" smiled Byakuya.

They sipped at their cider as the guests were called together and moved out onto the roof. As processional music began to play, they took their seats in the rows of chairs that had been set up for the occasion. Small potted sakura trees strung with lights lined the rows and at the front was a raised platform on which the bridal couple was to stand during the ceremony.

"Are you ready?" asked Head Councilor Nori, "We are set to begin, Byakuya-sama."

Byakuya nodded and he and Renji rose and followed him to the aisle between the rows of seats. Nori waited for the music change, then walked slowly down the aisle and took his place at the front. Byakuya and Renji stood back, with Rukia in between them and Ichigo waiting as Best Man, next to Nori. The wedding march began and the guests stood and turned to watch as Rukia led her brother and her best friend to the front of the crowd of guests and gently laid Byakuya's hand in Renji's. She kissed each on the cheek, then took her place opposite Ichigo. Byakuya and Renji faced Nori, waiting expectantly.

As Nori began to speak, Byakuya felt a soft twinge in his belly and slowly breathed through it. Renji squeezed his hand and met his eyes questioningly. Byakuya shook his head slightly as the tightness eased and Renji relaxed. Nori continued his introduction and prepared to move on to the vows. Byakuya caught his breath as a stronger pain began and panted very softly through it. Renji gave him a more panicked look that said, _Should we stop?_ and Byakuya shook his head again. His breathing slowed again as the contraction ended and Nori launched into their vows.

Byakuya felt an odd sense of something being wrong and out of the corner of an eye he spotted what appeared to be a large showering firework moving in their direction. He squinted at the odd sight that was occurring before midnight when the city display was set to start. In slow motion, his head turned, and he came to the realization that the sparking spectacle was headed right for Renji and him. Renji turned to take hold of him, but all at once a flash step sounded and he was yanked away from the top of the building, just as the firework slammed into the roof. Screams erupted as the device exploded with far more force than it should have, blowing apart the top of the roof and sending guests flying in all direction. Flash steps sounded and some guests caught themselves and landed safely in the wreckage of the roof area, but having been hit nearly head on, Nori, Renji, Rukia and Ichigo lost consciousness almost immediately and as the building shifted reflexively, they slid off with the rubble and made the long, slow fall, crashing into the ground and sending more debris flying in all directions.

Renji groaned and struggled to the surface of the depression driven into the ground as he landed.

"B-byakuya!" he cried, "Byakuya!"

Rukia and Ichigo crawled out of the wreckage nearby. Rukia cried out in dismay, seeing that Nori lay bloodied and unmoving on the ground. They moved closer and Renji brushed the bloodied hair out of his eyes and leaned over the noble.

"Oh no…oh my kami…Ichigo, get Orihime…fast!"

Ichigo nodded and limped away to look for the girl. Rukia turned to Renji.

"You didn't see what happened to Nii-sama?" she said in a trembling voice.

"N-no…" Renji said, tears coming to his eyes, "He was right there with me…and I saw it…and I reached for him…then everything exploded. Rukia…we have to find him! He was going into labor! And his power was sealed away because he was so close to delivering…"

"I know," said Rukia, nodding, "Come on, Renji…We'll find him."

"Guys," Ichigo said, returning from his search, "Bad news…Orihime has been injured."

"B-but…Councilor Nori…"

"I know," said Ichigo, "Hanatarou is coming, but…"

Rukia dropped down and took the hand of the barely breathing elder.

"It's going to be all right," she told him through a haze of tears, "Hanatarou will be here in…"

She froze, staring as the old shinigami's body twitched, released a long breath and fell still.

"No…" she moaned softly, "Nori?"

Ichigo put a hand on her shoulder as Hanatarou appeared and knelt at the noble's side. He examined the elder, then slowly reached over and closed his half-opened eyes.

"Oh my kami…" moaned Rukia, gasping, "How could this happen? How could this HAPPEN!"

She looked up at Renji with desperation in her eyes and jumped to her feet.

"Nii-sama!" she cried, diving into the debris and searching madly, "Nii-sama…Nii-sama…NII-SAMA!"

Renji moved forward with the others and started to search as well, his mind numb with shock.

_Byakuya…where are you?_

XXXXXXXXXX

**Chapter 1: The Captive**

Byakuya gasped in shock as he was grabbed and swept into the air. He clung tightly to his rescuer as the giant pyrotechnic struck the building below them and screams rose up.

"Oh kami…Renji!" Byakuya gasped, struggling, "We have to go back…Renji…Renji!"

"Shh…" his rescuer soothed him in a whisper, "Easy, you are in labor and need to be taken to a healer."

"But Renji…fell…"

"He'll be all right," the other assured him, "Try to relax."

It occurred to Byakuya suddenly that there was something very odd about the man holding him. The muffled voice sounded familiar…and the reiatsu was clouded. And, he realized, the man had reached him ahead of the blast…

"Who are you? Where are you taking me?" he asked, struggling.

"Be still," said the one holding him, "You really don't want to fall…not from this height…and with your powers sealed away. Sleep…"

A shock of kido blazed through him and Byakuya felt darkness closing in.

"R-renji," he panted softly, his eyes glazing over, "R-ren…"

The man carrying him set down on top of a nearby building, looking back at the burning building behind them. He smiled into the dark, sakura scented hair of his captive and drew his sword. Slashing at the sky, he opened a garganta. Looking back one more time at the flaming wreckage behind him, he stepped through and passed over into Hueco Mundo. As he dropped down into the sand, another shinigami flash stepped out to meet him.

"I see you were successful," the silver-haired man said, studying the dark haired shinigami that man held, "You'd best get him inside. I think he's about to drop that baby any moment!"

"Yes, well…That baby has a special place in my heart. It's the only thing that could have left him weak enough for me to capture…and it is the only thing that will make him cooperate with me…"

"Quite a catch, there," Gin said, nodding, "I never would have thought you'd land a noble for a mate…"

"Believe me, he is worth the trouble. I have a plan that will give me everything I want. But I do need him and his child alive…and unharmed…you understand, Gin?"

"Of course, Sousuke," Gin said, smiling, "Bring him this way. We'll see to his delivery. By morning, Kuchiki Byakuya will be a proud parent."

"Yes," said Aizen, gazing at the man he held, "That and more."

He turned and followed Gin into the fortress. They moved quickly down the halls to the infirmary and set the noble down on an examination table. Gin leaned over him, quickly opening an IV and moving his clothes out of the way for the delivery. He placed his hands on Byakuya's swollen, bare abdomen as Aizen set the restraints and raised the noble's consciousness. Byakuya's eyes flickered open and went wide with panic.

"Wh-where…am I? R-ren…ji?" he panted, groaning as a contraction sent pain shooting through his midsection.

"Don't panic," Aizen said, looking down into the nearly frantic, gray eyes, "I give you my word. I have no intention of hurting you or your baby. Breath slowly, now."

"B-but…why? Wh-why am I here?" Byakuya asked, shivering, "I don't know how I…"

"Quiet now," Aizen said, brushing over his sweating forehead with a cool, wet cloth, "Everything will be fine. Just concentrate on your baby."

Byakuya closed his eyes and forced his breathing to slow, then turned his head slowly, taking in the room around him.

"Is…is Renji…is he…okay?" Byakuya asked, his eyes turning glazy and unclear, "H-he was…right there…at the center of the…explosion…"

"I am sure that Renji is fine," Aizen said calmly.

"But the…building…exploded…"

"Not to worry. All of the ones there had their powers…well, except for the humans, but I'm sure they came out of it all right…"

He broke off as a look of intense pain crossed Byakuya's face and tears formed in his eyes.

"N-nori…Nori is…he's…"

All at once, Byakuya's eyes dimmed and his breathing stopped.

"Byakuya?" Aizen said, extending his hands over the noble's chest, "Byakuya!"

He turned to look at Gin, who studied the machines around them and turned back again.

"He has gone into shock, Sousuke. Something happened and he went into shock."

"He said Nori," Aizen mused, "That is the head elder…"

"He may have died," Gin hypothesized, "It sends a kind of shock through them…noble's, I mean."

Aizen's lips tightened. He touched his hands to Byakuya's chest and send a shock of kido into the noble's body. Byakuya remained still and unresponsive.

"This is unacceptable. You get him breathing and you keep him alive. I'll take the baby."

Gin nodded and set up the life support systems, forcing air into the noble's lungs and sending small bursts of kido into his body to stimulate his heart as Aizen leaned over his midsection and placed his hands carefully. He focused deeply and power flared around them. Slowly as he worked, a golden sphere began to emerge. Smiling, Aizen touched it with a palm, capturing it and coaxing it out of the noble's body. As it broke free, Byakuya's body settled and returned to a more normal size. Aizen's hands curled around the reiatsu sphere, working carefully to stabilize it, then gradually stripping away the outer layer to reveal the shape of a tiny shinigami infant. Gin moved over and cleared the baby's airway, then a sharp cry rose up, snapping Byakuya out of the shocked state he had been in and making him struggle wildly.

"M-my…baby…don't…take my baby!"

Aizen smiled and nodded at Gin, who loosed the restraints on the noble's hands and helped him sit up and set pillows in place behind him. Aizen set the lovely red haired infant in Byakuya's arms and watched as the noble smiled down at his newborn son.

Byakuya stared into the gray eyes that looked so much like his and the face that mirrored Renji's and felt tears in his eyes.

"Renji should be here to see this," he whispered, "I need to see Renji. I need to know he's all right!"

Aizen studied him carefully and moved to his side, sitting down in a chair next to the bed and reaching up to touch the baby boy's cheek.

"Byakuya," he said in a quiet voice, "Now that your son has been born, you need to focus on what is going to keep the two of you safe and alive. That is what your Renji would want you to do."

"Renji would never want to be away from us," Byakuya said in a low voice, "He will look for us."

"Byakuya…you were standing at the top of a tall building. You had no powers. The building was destroyed. They will think you are dead…and they will find no clues that say otherwise. I covered your reiatsu and mine. There is no trail to lead them here and no reason to believe that you would be here. Now…my needs are very simple. As long as you are cooperative and as long as you obey my commands and do not try to escape or summon Renji…your son will stay with you. If you are defiant…or if you try to escape, I will take him from you. I will not kill him, but he will grow up without you. Do you understand?"

Byakuya blinked slowly, the reality of his situation settling over him. He looked down into his son's eyes and knew his choices were limited.

"Byakuya…"

"I understand," he said quietly, "But you need to understand. Abarai Renji will not believe we're dead. You may have hidden my reiatsu, but without the fading that occurs with death, he will not accept it. He will look for conclusive proof…and he will come for us."

"He won't know you are here. As I said, Byakuya, focus carefully on your child. Do as I say and no harm will come to either of you…and you will not be separated. Now then…Gin…I want you marry us…"


	2. Reaching

**Chapter 2: Reaching**

"Rukia," Renji said in a shaking voice, "What am I supposed to do?"

He leaned against her shoulder, tears streaming down his face. Rukia held him tightly, forcing her own tears down and making her voice as calm as she could under the circumstances.

"There isn't much we can do," she said softly, rubbing his back and bringing her face close to his, "Both the clan and the military have ruled my brother dead. And there is no evidence that says that they are wrong. Renji, we have nothing to use to convince them otherwise."

"Then we have to find some evidence…"

"We will go back again and search…all you want. Just because they have given up doesn't mean that we have to. But we are going to have to expect not to get much help. What we do will have to be done on our own…and it will take time."

"It may be time that Byakuya doesn't have!" insisted Renji, "But I hear what you're saying. And even though we won't get help from the clan or the military, we can depend on our friends."

Renji let his gaze run around the gardens and bit his lip, thinking, "And given that it will probably take time, I'm going to do something more."

"What are you going to do?" Rukia asked, looking into his eyes.

Renji took a breath and straightened.

"Just before we left for Karakura Town, Byakuya gave me the recommendation form for taking the taichou's exam. I am going to train…and when the next test comes around, I will test. I will become a taichou…and as a taichou, I have the right to reopen the case and as long as I see to all of my other duties, I can follow up on any leads we find!"

Rukia stared.

"Renji…"

Renji sighed and lowered his eyes.

"In the meantime, I guess I'd better go and get my old apartment back."

His eyes traveled to the opened doors to the room he had shared with Byakuya.

"I imagine the clan will replace Byakuya soon enough and they won't want me hanging around."

Rukia smiled sadly and shook her head.

"Renji, that's one of the things I wanted to tell you. The council had an emergency meeting to begin the process of replacing Nori and Nii-sama. But as part of their discussion, they voted to allow the two of us to remain here. Nii-sama put this provision in his will…and the elders are going to honor it."

Tears came to Renji's eyes again, but he swallowed hard and forced them away.

"He worked hard to make a place for us…to be sure that if anything ever happened to him, that we would be taken care of. They didn't want to listen at first…and I was pretty sure that the only reason they gave in and supported us being together in the end was because Byakuya got pregnant. Still…that they are respecting his wishes so readily…without any hesitation…"

"They have been devastated, Renji," Rukia said softly, "And for all of their faults, it cannot be said that they only loved my brother for his power. They respected his abilities at statescraft and negotiations…and how devoted he was to family and duty."

"Yeah," said Renji, sadly, "They must have…"

He looked back across the gardens at his bedroom doors.

"It's going to be strange…someone else being in the room we shared…taking over."

He sighed and ran his eyes over the sweeping displays of colorful flowers, the blue koi ponds, the carefully designed trails and scores of sakura trees.

"I wonder how many times we walked these trails together, went out that gate, up to the waterfall to look at the moon. And then we'd come back here…and sit and have our tea. And we'd talk about everything. That was the thing that changed most about Byakuya when we fell in love. He started to really talk to me…and I got to know him like I never did…"

"Like no one else ever did…Renji," said Rukia, "Not even me…"

Renji smiled at her.

"He loved you…a lot."

"I know that, Renji," the girl said, meeting his eyes with teary ones of her own, "But Byakuya gave his heart to you. You're the only one alive who can say that."

Renji shook his head and released a heavy breath.

"Rukia…we have to stop…we have to stop talking like he's gone. Even if he is…and we someday find that out, we don't believe it now. We won't believe it until we find proof."

"And there won't be proof because he is alive…"

"He's alive, Rukia. I know it. My heart knows it. My heart would feel it if he was really dead."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya sat quietly on the large, comfortable bed in Aizen Sousuke's bedroom, leaned back against pillows and holding his baby in his arms. He smiled sadly and leaned forward to kiss his forehead, then stroked his autumn red hair and felt tears in his eyes again. He looked around the darkened, silent room and sensed the presence of the guards outside the door and window. He climbed carefully out of bed and walked to the bay window, where he settled on the large bench, folding his legs beneath him and leaning against the window. He gazed out across the dark sands to where a bright light shined in the distance.

"Kisho, look out and see through the darkness," he whispered to the baby in his arms, "There, in the distance is the way home. That light you see is a light of hope. It burns for us, because even though we are lost and even though it seems that hope has faded, there is something that protects us…and something that will guide us. It will keep us going, moving forward, even though the way is very difficult…and someday…that light is going to lead us home. Then you will know what it was that made me have hope when there was none, what made me stay alive when I felt my heart dying inside. You will know why my eyes still sought beauty, even in the darkness…because always, I knew he was there…out there…trying to find me. He knows I'm not dead…and he will never stop searching…for me…and for you. Keep that hope inside your heart, my Kisho. Never let that hope fade. For when it does, I will fade also…"

He heard the door open and close softly and felt Aizen's presence, but did not look up in greeting. Footsteps came nearer and the leader of the hollows sat down on the window seat in front of him. Byakuya remained silent and kept his eyes focused on Kisho.

"Your son is lovely, Byakuya. And you look beautiful holding him like that. I know that you would rather be anywhere but here with me, but unfortunately, this is necessary."

"You told me that before…but you didn't explain," Byakuya said, still not looking up at him.

"As you know, I am preparing myself, my associates and the hollows for an assault on the royal palace. I have plans in place to make a royal key to break into the spirit realm, and then our forces will overwhelm the Royal Guard and the king."

"But you need a way to control the noble houses that will rise to the king's defense," Byakuya added, frowning.

"Yes…very good, but then, you are a taichou. You know enough of strategy to have figured that out. Still, effecting control over the noble houses will take great amounts of effort and loss of lives…and I mislike waste of any kind."

"So why have me presumed dead?" Byakuya asked, "Without an heir, they will only choose another leader."

"Your clan has lost its leader and the head elder. Even if infighting doesn't slow things, it will certainly disrupt them. In any case, I shall use the time to gain a foothold on the clan."

"How? As I said, with me declared dead…"

"You have a son…quite unexpected for a male. Perhaps another child…"

"What? You want to make a child? A blood heir? But there is already an heir?"

"Not one they know about or can find."

"You…you won't harm Kisho?" Byakuya asked, holding the infant closer.

"No," said Aizen, "That is why I had you and your heir presumed dead. Now…if you have another heir, then that child could be used to make a place in the clan…"

"What are you talking about? They will choose a new heir."

Aizen sat back and crossed his arms.

"Byakuya, I hope you think I am stupid, or that I didn't bother to do any research. Yours is the dominant bloodline. It does not matter when the heir appears. Your child will be named heir over any lesser cousin…and even if there is an objection, I am certain that the child will be capable of exerting sufficient pressure to take control."

Byakuya swallowed hard, anger making his limbs shake softly.

"An what happens to Kisho and to me? Are we to remain prisoners forever?"

Aizen shook his head.

"You will not be a prisoner, Byakuya," he said, smiling, "Your marriage to me and the fact we'll have a child together will give you a higher position in my regime. And once we have taken our place as king and consort, your Kisho will be released to return to your clan. My child will leave the Seireitei and come to live with us in the palace…and will become the royal heir. So…everyone gets something. I get my kingdom…and you, you have a higher position and stay with your children. Your children both claim positions of power…and your Renji will eventually have his lovely son back."

"But that could take years…and in any case, I don't know that I would ever get pregnant."

"You had Kisho…"

"Aizen Sousuke, I do not know why I became pregnant…"

"Do not play games with me, Byakuya," Aizen said warningly, "I know that there are many instances of childbirth in male nobles."

"But…even being guardians of the largest library of knowledge in the three worlds, we do not know the mechanism that makes it happen! That is the truth…"

"So…you say that this child was unexpected?"

"Of course. And there is no way to know if it would be possible to make another…"

"There is a way to know," Aizen said, touching his face gently, "We need only try."

Anger swelled in Byakuya's breast. Making his lips tighten, but he held it beneath the surface, staring down at the reason why he could not let that anger out…why he had had to marry Aizen…and why Aizen would be able to make him cooperate in the making of another heir.

"Come now…"

"What? Now? Aizen…"

"Please. Byakuya, call me Sousuke. We are married now. And I am certainly not unsympathetic to the fact that you just had a child. But to make the marriage legal, it must be consummated."

Byakuya blanched, but said nothing.

The door opened and a servant woman entered and moved towards Byakuya.

"Please give Kisho to Hekima. She will care for him personally until I call for his return."

"You mean to use him to force me to…"

"Byakuya…You wouldn't want him in here. So…Hekima will care for him. And we can see him on the monitor up there at any time. And I will have him brought back when we have seen to the consummation of our marriage…"

Byakuya lifted Kisho, holding him close, breathing in his sweet scent and kissing him on a soft cheek. The infant cooed softly and touched his lips, making them curve upward.

"I am glad that there is something that can make you smile, Byakuya. I do not wish to make your association with me any more difficult than necessary."

Byakuya watched as Hekima carried the baby out of the room. Aizen slipped a hand into his and brought him to his feet. They walked silently to the bed and stopped. Aizen placed a hand on the noble's face, lifting his eyes so that Byakuya was looking directly at him.

"I hope that someday you will welcome me into your arms when we come to our bed, Byakuya, but as this is very new to you, I will not expect reciprocation. I will not be forceful if you do not resist, and will not cause you any undue pain. I am willing to dull your senses while we are together tonight, as you are more vulnerable emotionally and physically from the birth of your child. But in the future, I expect you will be both lucid and cooperative."

Byakuya continued to look blankly at him, but said nothing in return. Aizen took hold of the wrap around his shoulders and slowly removed it, then reached for the tie at his waist. Byakuya lowered his eyes, but found a hand captured his chin and returned his eyes to his captors.

"Would you like me to make you less lucid? I could employ an illusion to relax you…"

Byakuya shook his head, making Aizen smile.

"As expected, you prefer to deal in reality…a courageous attitude, but of course, I expected no less from you."

He leaned forward and tasted the noble's lips, slipping his arms around his slender body.

"So this is what Abarai Renji experienced every night…this warmth, this aura of strength, this fine scent? He should consider himself lucky, ne? Not many commoners lie down with one of such quality…"

"Do not speak of Renji to me. You said that you do not wish to cause me undue pain. I don't want to think of Renji while…"

"While you are sleeping with me," Aizen finished, "Commendable…a testament to your affection for him. I understand."

He turned the noble so his back was to the bed and lowered him slowly, keeping their eyes locked, then straightened himself and removed his own clothing. He climbed into the bed and turned on his side, bringing himself close to Byakuya and saying nothing, but gazing silently at him for a moment, then cupping the side of his face in one hand and bringing their lips together for several short kisses. He was pleased at the lack of resistance, but not so much the lack of response.

"Byakuya…"

He saw it then, the way the noble had disappeared into himself, his eyes, dull and blank, his body pliant, but nearly lifeless.

"Byakuya, it won't be enough to lower your resistance…to give in quietly. Remember, I belong to you, as much as you belong to me. I meant it when I said that there will not be any other for me. I need no other, but you. But I also need you to be responsive."

"Please, spare me your words of love and devotion," Byakuya said in a distant voice, "I am a means to an end for you. You have me cornered, so take what you will, but do not expect me to act as though it means anything. The rings on our fingers and the soiling of our bodies are just lies upon lies, Aizen. I belong to Renji…in heart if not in body. I will not respond to one I do not love."

"I suggest we compromise," said Aizen, "or our association could become exceedingly unpleasant. You needn't initiate, but I expect you will respond. You need not kiss me, but will welcome my kisses. You need not touch me, but will welcome my touches. You need not open yourself, but yield readily when I am with you. And if you cannot do that much, then we shall have to discuss ways to make you more compliant. Do you understand?"

"What? Torture? Go ahead. Torture, death…it doesn't matter…"

"Your son matters."

He turned on the monitor, which bore the image of Kisho, sleeping comfortably.

"You would break your promise not to hurt him?" Byakuya asked anxiously.

"Of course not. But as I told you…the amount of contact you will have with your son will reflect your cooperation. If you please me, then he will be brought back as soon as we are done. If not, then perhaps you will wait to see him."

Byakuya stared at the image of his son, blinking slowly. Aizen recaptured his lips and smiled in approval as they moved with his this time and parted when he stroked them lightly with his tongue. He dipped his tongue into Byakuya's warm mouth, then began a gentle exploration, before releasing it and nodding.

"Much better."

He nuzzled between the strong jaw and shoulder to access the soft flesh of his throat, kissing, then licking the pale skin and working his way slowly downward. Byakuya sighed softly in relief at not having to look into the man's eyes and instead looked at the monitor and drifting away mentally, while still allowing his nearly detached body to respond as expected. Still, he shivered softly as Aizen's mouth wrapped around his length, sucking and licking and gradually forcing him back to reality. He closed his eyes as his captor's fingers worked slowly to prepare him. It wore at him to feel his body respond to the man's touches, even knowing inwardly that it, in no way, meant that his heart had been likewise breached. His heart was where it had always been…somewhere across that cold desert with Renji…Renji who was probably in tears and clinging desperately to Rukia, who would find strength in his fury and in his refusal to believe that Byakuya was dead, who would do everything in his power to find a lead, any lead…and who would eventually reach him, no matter how long it took.

Aizen's mouth suddenly returned to his and plundered it hungrily as his hot, leaking member penetrated him further down. He winced and closed his eyes, hating that he had shown his discomfort. Aizen reached down and curled a hand around his length, stroking it along with his deep, slow thrusts. He kept his eyes on Byakuya's now, and the noble was careful to look back. Aizen's head bowed and his body shuddered as his searing release pulsed out and filled Byakuya inside. Then he continued to stimulate the noble until Byakuya's breath shortened and his body quivered, then hot seed spilled out of him. His captor devoured every drop, then he sank into Byakuya's mouth one last time as the weight of everything that had happened washed over the noble…and with his body and emotions so weakened by the remaining effects of his pregnancy, he was unable to hold back the sudden tears. They leaked onto his face, exposing the awful emotion beneath the placid surface and earning a surprisingly sympathetic stare from his captor. And Byakuya was left to ponder why even kindness coming from this man seemed so painful. No wonder torture wasn't necessary. What he was doing was torment enough.

Aizen brushed the streaming tears away from his eyes and then climbed out of bed. He reached over to a small console and pressed a button.

"Please have Hekima return Kisho to Byakuya. He will remain here for the night."

He turned back and kissed the noble gently on the mouth.

"Go and shower. I will have Hekima wait here until you are finished."

"You are…leaving?"

Aizen smiled.

"I will be back to spend the night with you, but we needn't make love again tonight unless you wish it. I will desire you from time to time, but it is not a requirement for us to have sex every time we share our bed. Good night, Byakuya."

He turned and left the room. Byakuya recovered his yukata and retreated to the shower. By the time he returned, Hekima was waiting on the freshly made bed, holding Kisho. He lifted the boy gently from the servant's arms and moved back to the window seat, where he knelt, leaning against the window and staring at the light from the shinigami base in the distance.

"Renji will come for us. He will, Kisho. He will. And when you are safe, I will kill Aizen Sousuke for daring to lay hands on us…"


	3. The Separation

**Chapter 3: The Separation**

"Tell me, Gin," Aizen said, walking into the infirmary and slipping an arm around Byakuya's shoulders, "What are that results of the latest tests?"

Gin frowned solemnly.

"I'm afraid that there are no signs of pregnancy," the silver-haired shinigami reported.

"But his dizzy spells…the nausea and fatigue…"

"All most likely related to malaise from his constant depressed state."

"Depressed state?" he said, meeting Byakuya's eyes, "What do you mean? Byakuya's behavior has been exemplary. And because of that, Kisho has been allowed to remain at his side. Surely that would head off this depression…Byakuya?"

The noble remained silent.

"Byakuya, I was inquiring about your emotional state. I have allowed you visitation with your son, have I not? I have allowed you limited use of your powers and freedom to explore the fortress at will, as long as you do not try to leave. And I have not once hurt you in any way. In fact, I've been exceedingly gentle with you. Why would you be depressed?"

Byakuya gave him an astounded look.

"Sousuke, how can you even ask me that? I haven't seen Renji or Rukia, any of my friends or family in months! Everyone thinks I am dead. Everything meaningful in my life is gone! Everything except Kisho. You've as much as told me that I'm never going home! What do expect of me?"

Aizen gazed at him for a moment and sighed.

"Byakuya," he said, shaking his head, "You really are one of the most stubborn people I know. Of course it makes sense that you want to go back…but most would have realized that it is senseless to destroy oneself over these things. You had a good life in the Seireitei, and yes, I took that life from you…but in return, I offer you a much better one…one that Rukon dog couldn't."

"Do not speak of Renji that way! He is my lover and I was supposed to marry him, not you!"

"You gave up the right to argue that point when you agreed to marry me!" Aizen said, his reiatsu rising.

"I had no choice! You would have taken the last thing that means anything to me! You have held that over my head for months so that I would not leave, so that I would obey your commands and marry you, so that I would feign interest while you rape me practically every night! You are a monster and I despise you!" the noble exclaimed.

Aizen's reiatsu flared and he glared at the noble, but a moment later forced himself to calm and smiled instead.

"My very stubborn spouse, I see what is happening now. I made the mistake of thinking that you had accepted your fate, that while missing your former life, you had come to accept that it is gone…and that you were sincerely trying to make a new life here with me. But I see that there is something holding you back from that. You still cling to hope. And that hope is centered around your son. I begin to think that your connection to Kisho is holding you back…"

"No…" Byakuya objected, his eyes widening.

"I think that his presence has bolstered you in the past, but now it begins to hold you back."

"Sousuke, no, that's not true!" Byakuya insisted, sensing what was coming.

"I promised that as long as you were obedient and you tried to do as I wished that you would be allowed to keep him with you."

"Sousuke, don't take Kisho from me. Don't take the only thing I have left!"

"You are obedient on the surface, but beneath it, you still defy me…"

"That's not true! I follow your commands to the letter…always!"

"Not in the one way I need you to the most…"

"I _told_ you when you brought me here that I don't know how noble male pregnancy works! No one does! You never found any record of why and your resources were nearly as vast as mine!"

"Yes…I know you told me that before…but given your reluctance to give yourself over to your new life…your insistence about hanging on to Renji, perhaps your connection to your son is not a good thing…"

Byakuya closed his eyes and the breath left him.

"Don't do this," he whispered.

"Then stop resisting," Aizen warned him, "I think that if you truly accept your fate, that your state of mind will improve and we will be able to conceive our own child."

He studied the noble's anguished expression for a moment.

"I will give you one last chance. If you end your resistance and truly begin to embrace your new life as it is…if you release your connection to the ones you knew before and focus on Kisho and me, I will allow you to continue to see your son. If you continue to slowly destroy yourself with false hope and stubborn resistance, I shall have no choice, Byakuya."

Byakuya shivered softly and opened his eyes, meeting Aizen's carefully. He knew what he had to say, but didn't know if he could force out the words. Still, if he did not convince Aizen of his commitment, he would lose his son…

"I understand…and I will try," he said quietly.

Aizen smiled warmly.

"A wise decision, my love."

"I think we're finished here," said Gin.

"Yes," agreed Aizen, "We will do this again next week and see if this discussion has had any impact."

He turned to Byakuya.

"You may go."

The noble rose quietly and walked out of the room, but paused as Gin and Aizen's voices sounded in the room behind him.

"He's holding something back…something about the noble pregnancy process," said Aizen, "I've sensed it all along but didn't want to deal with it as it means I'll have to begin getting truly unpleasant with him."

"You coddle him, Sousuke. I told you from the start that you should have merely opted to have him 'miscarry' the heir in the first place. It way have made his initial submission more difficult, but he would have truly broken down and accepted things."

Aizen sighed.

"Perhaps you are right. But that doesn't help things now, does it?"

"The boy could have an accident," Gin said quietly.

Byakuya froze.

"No…I am not that desperate yet. But I think I will have to separate them. If he does not become pregnant by next week…"

"Ah…" sighed Gin, "You baby him too much. You should have tortured him into submission."

"Gin, you are a beast," commented Aizen calmly, "I like Byakuya's spirit, the fact that he only obeys because he has to…"

Byakuya turned and hurried away. He knew there was little time. He knew better than to let the week elapse.

_I would be forced to give in completely and give him a child. And as much as I love my son, I cannot allow Aizen to father a noble heir. Even though it costs me contact with my son, the fallout from such a birth would be devastating. I cannot sacrifice the Kuchiki clan…but I won't let him take Kisho from me either…_

He walked quickly back to the nursery and gathered Kisho, then climbed the stairway to the west tower. He knew that Aizen, Gin and Tousen were meeting with the Espada and that meant that no one would know he was missing until the end of that meeting…and the meetings took at least an hour. It was enough time to reach the shinigami base if he left quickly and managed to do so without triggering an alarm. He reached the west tower and waited until the guard watching it was about to change. As the guard changed, he stated back to the door, but as the door closed, he used a special flash step to leave an image behind, and to sweep back across the tower roof and over the edge…thus leaving the guard thinking he had seen Byakuya go in, the camera in the area confirming it…and his captors none the wiser that he had begun his escape.

_Thank kami he didn't see the need anymore to deny me my flash step…_

He knew that if he was caught, he wouldn't simply lose his son, he would lose all of his powers as well…and he would never be let out of the sight of the guards…not for a moment. Everything hung on this one attempt…so he had to make it to the base.

He held Kisho against him and moved swiftly and quietly, knowing from having observed as he moved around the fortress where the cameras were and when to use his flash step to avoid being seen. He had watched the guards and knew their movements, well enough so that he worked his way past them without being seen, and soon he was on the open desert and running smoothly across the sand. He knew to save his flash step. It wouldn't be long before he would be missed and the pursuit would begin. He would need his strength to last the entire way. But even without his flash step, he had made it past the critical point when he heard the sirens rise up behind him.

He flash stepped madly then, holding Kisho to his chest and pouring everything into reaching the base. He felt the swell of power behind him as Aizen and the Espada fanned out across the desert, knowing his destination, but not the path he would take. At that moment, he would have given anything to have enough power to summon a reiatsu cage, but it was a much higher kido spell…and he had been given only minimal power…enough to support his flash step, but not enough to save himself in this situation. He would have to depend on the shinigamis at the base. And the base wasn't far, but the sweep of the searching reiatsu was closing in and he had to make it to the base before his exact position was sensed. As the searching reiatsu swept towards him again, he left a scattering of false images and continued on, hearing the his of flash steps now, but knowing he was close. Kido strikes began to hiss by, forcing him to alter course several times, but he managed to elude them long enough to cross into shinigami territory. His entry set off the base alarms and shouts rose up as the shinigamis turned their focus onto the area of the breach. Byakuya ran forward as someone approached.

His heart skipped painfully at the sight of a taichou's haori…and red hair…

_Renji!_

He closed the distance and slid to a stop in front of his lover, his eyes wide, hair whipping in the breeze and Kisho's cry rising up from the area of his chest. An odd sense of fear passed over him as Renji stared at them…through them…without seeing.

"Renji…"

He reached out and touched his face, knowing already what had stopped the redhead from seeing and sensing him.

"Renji…"

He breathed in the warm masculine scent of him and felt tears rise in his eyes.

"He has no idea you're here," Aizen's voice said softly.

A hand touched his shoulder and he found himself frozen in place.

_Bastard! So…cruel…_

"Shall I kill him, Byakuya?" Aizen asked calmly, raising his sword, "Or will you give up this hopelessness? You are never going back to him."

_I am going to lose everything now…_

Whatever was holding him released and he dropped to his knees. He held Kisho close, tears erupting onto his face as Renji turned and started to walk away. A hard sob escaped the noble as he watched Renji's back, decorated with the haori of the sixth division, moving away.

"Renji…"

Numbness fell over him again as he stood in the darkened sand with Aizen's hand resting on his shoulder.

"Come, let's return to Las Noches."

Byakuya sighed softly and nodded, turning with Aizen and letting his fingers slide down Kisho's leg. One tiny shoe dropped into the sand, then a second. And as they moved away and Aizen's power faded, the taichou behind them stopped walking, looked around questioningly and walked slowly back to where they had been. He stood quietly, sensing the reiatsu around him and feeling the wrongness of it. Slowly, the illusion around him faded and Abarai Renji caught his breath.

There were footprints in the sand that hadn't been there. He knelt and touched one, reaching out with his senses and feeling tears in his eyes.

_You were here…_

His fingers touched another footprint.

_But he found you…_

He caught sight of something in the sand and picked it up.

_A baby's shoe…oh kami…our baby's shoe!_

He found another near the first.

_I was right…the whole time! He was alive…and he was there in Las Noches!_

"Byakuya…and our baby…are alive," he whispered, hardly daring to believe the words.

He turned and flash stepped back to the base, calling out for the guards on duty to sound the alarm.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya walked quietly at Aizen's side, entering the large double doors and pausing inside as Aizen's hand touched his shoulder. He looked up at his captor defeatedly, only waiting for the inevitable. Aizen didn't keep him waiting.

"Gin," he said calmly, "Take Kisho to Hekima."

He fastened his eyes on Byakuya's.

"Tell her…he is to be taken to the servants' quarters and she is to keep him there."

Byakuya's eyes widened.

"Byakuya is to have no access to the child…none. He is never to be brought near this part of the fortress."

"No…Sousuke…"

Aizen glared at him.

"You knew the cost of what you were doing!" he said firmly.

"I _heard_ you!" Byakuya exclaimed, "You were going to take him anyway, because I couldn't give you a child!"

"Not couldn't, Byakuya," Aizen said in a low voice, "_Wouldn't._"

"I told you that I don't…"

Aizen hand struck him soundly across the face, barely missing the boy in his arms.

"Lies, Byakuya…I _know_ you are lying. Even if not for your sorry attempt at escape, _that_ was the subject of my meeting. I was given information gathered by my operatives…and it appears that _you_ have been lying to me all along! You do have some amount of control and you can give me what I want…but enough of that, Gin, take Kisho…"

Byakuya backed away, only to be stopped and held in place by a hollow.

"Please, don't do this…"

"I always follow through…on my promises…and on my threats. You will not see him again…ever."

"K-kisho…"

"Kisho…the proud noble heir…will grow up a mere slave in my fortress."

"N-no!"

"He won't even remember you…"

"Damn you, Aizen!" Byakuya hissed as Gin pulled Kisho away.

"And you…you will learn chapter and verse how lucky you are to have been treated so gently all of this time."

He nodded to the guard who held Byakuya in place.

"Remove him to the detention block for the night. Treat him as any other shinigami prisoner…with one exception. Do not allow any sexual assault. This man is married to me and anyone who touches him in a sexual way will die."

"Hai, Aizen-sama."

"Oh…and one more thing," Aizen said, turning back.

He reached out and touched the noble's wrist, sealing away powers completely.

"Good night, Byakuya," he said calmly, "You will be returned to our bedroom in the morning, perhaps a little wiser for the experience."

"Sousuke…" Byakuya gasped, feeling the floor shift beneath him.

"I said good night," Aizen said, turning and walking out of the room.

The guard's hand gave him a small push in the direction of the detention area. Byakuya hesitated, the room beginning to spin around him. He managed only one step, then collapsed at the surprised guard's feet.


	4. Isolation and Dependence

**Chapter 4: Isolation and Dependence**

Renji stood in the Central 46 chambers, clenching his jaw angrily and barely holding his temper in check. The councilors stared down at him dispassionately.

"You can't be serious!" he fumed, "Kuchiki Byakuya is alive! I brought proof! You can see it right here before your eyes! He's being held in Las Noches. We have to go and get him out of there! I have waited for months, obeying rules and not making any false moves, but this in unbelievable! Kuchiki Byakuya is a taichou and a clan leader! If that doesn't make him important enough to go after, then what the hell does!"

"Abarai taichou," said the head councilor sternly, "Do not become belligerant! We have seen your 'proof' of Kuchiki Byakuya being alive, but we are forced to question it. As you know, reiatsu from the infant, from Byakuya and from Aizen Sousuke was found on the shoes you provided. And as we all know, Aizen crafts illusions that fool the senses. He would have heard of Byakuya's death…and your advancement. Perhaps he toys with you. In any case, without conclusive proof, we have no choice but to refuse to officially reopen the investigation into Kuchiki taichou's death."

The councilor leaned forward.

"Now…I understand your anger at what you feel is a grave miscarriage of justice, but we will not risk our troops on your delusions that Kuchiki taichou is alive."

"It's not a delusion and you know it!" yelled Renji, "You know I'm right, but you don't want to go to the trouble of helping him! A lot of good it did him, following your rules for all those years, walking in the lines when as soon as he needs you, you abandon him! Why are you doing this? Why? He's being held captive…and he needs our help!"

"Abarai taichou, I know that you are new to your position, but you know the importance of following orders. And we are the only ones who can grant the reopening of Kuchiki taichou's case. You may approach us again when you have real evidence…but for now, you must stand down!"

It took everything in Renji to hold his tongue, but knowing he was risking arrest and confinement, he swallowed his anger and bowed stiffly.

"Understood, sir," he said, nearly choking on the words.

The councilor regarded him quietly.

"I don't know that you do, Abarai taichou. We will be watching you very carefully. If you cross a single line or act out in any way, you can be sure that we will take action to see that you are apprehended and punished."

"Yes, sir," Renji said, biting his tongue hard, "I will keep that in mind."

"You are dismissed."

Renji bowed and turned away, stalking out of the Central 46 chambers and finding Rukia waiting for him just outside. He fell in beside her, shaking his head slightly as he looked at her.

"It doesn't look like it went well," she said when they had put some distance between themselves and the Central 46 chambers.

"It didn't fucking 'go' at all. Those bastards won't see the evidence right in front of them. Because Aizen had touched the shoes, they couldn't be used as evidence."

"Because of his abilities at using illusions…I see…" Rukia said, frowning and nodding.

"Well, they may not have reopened the case, but they didn't forbid me to continue looking."

"I'm with you," said Rukia, slipping a hand into his, "Just tell me what to do."

Renji found himself smiling at her despite the awful sadness.

"I don't know exactly what to do yet, only that we need to be careful. I'm being watched, and you probably are too. We need to get close to that base, but we have to move very carefully now."

Rukia nodded.

"You're wise to understand that, Renji."

"I've grown up a bit since that bastard started screwing with my life! First you and now Byakuya…and our baby. He's already around six months old by now. And he wouldn't even know me, Rukia…"

Rukia sighed and leaned against him.

"I know. We will keep looking for him, Renji. We won't give up."

"Thanks Rukia," he said, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek, "That means a lot to me."

XXXXXXXXXX

Aizen stared as Byakuya was carried into his bedroom. His skin betrayed no sign of the punishment he had ordered, but Byakuya laid limply in the arms of the guard.

"I have brought him as you ordered, sir," the guard said.

"Yes, I see. But…what is going on? I see no marks on him, yet he is unconscious…"

"He lost consciousness after the removal of the child, sir. He never woke. We never touched him."

"You never…" he began, then broke off, "Put him in bed and summon my personal healer, at once!"

"Hai, Aizen-sama," the guard said, placing Byakuya in the bed, then dashing away.

Aizen moved closer and sat down beside the noble, unnerved by the unhealthy pallor, the uneven breathing and the haggard look about him. He had, of course, expected a strong reaction to the loss of being with his son, but he hadn't expected such an immediate and complete collapse. The man in front of him bore little resemblance to the powerful taichou he had known in the Seireitei…but then, he had taken away everything supporting that person. And now it was simply a matter of rebuilding Byakuya as he saw fit.

The door opened and the healer walked in, followed by a curious Gin.

"Good heavens…" he said, staring, "What did you have them do to him? It looks as though he was beaten senseless…and then healed, of course."

"Nothing," said Aizen as the healer sat down next to Byakuya and began to examine him, "The hollows in the detention cells didn't even touch him. He collapsed before he was even taken there."

"Hmmm…" mused Gin, "Nice thinking, Kuchiki taichou…"

"His name is Aizen Byakuya…" Aizen corrected him.

"Oh yes…my mistake," said Gin, smiling.

"What is his condition?" Aizen asked the healer.

"He is abysmally weak. The distress, coupled with the fact that the man barely eats overwhelmed him. He should have been brought to the infirmary immediately. He's ice cold…"

The healer shook his head and frowned.

"Aizen-sama, he is in very poor condition. Something must be done to encourage him to take better care of himself. He will be of no use to you if he cannot even sustain his own life."

"Have you had a chance to study the information regarding noble male pregnancy?" Aizen asked.

"I have…but you must understand. He is not going to be able to get pregnant unless his body is in better condition. You must address that first if you wish for him to conceive."

"Very well," said Aizen, "I will see to that as soon as he wakes. Will he wake on his own?"

"As long as he is kept in a warm, quiet environment, he should regain his senses soon."

Aizen nodded.

"Then the two of you may leave us. I will see to Byakuya…and from this point on, no one comes to see him without my leave."

"What are you about, Sousuke?" asked Gin, furrowing his brow.

"I am going to become the center of Aizen Byakuya's existence. His sun will rise and set with me, and soon he will give me whatever I want. You were right, Gin. I should have taken the boy from him in the first place."

Gin sighed and shook his head, then exited the room. The healer followed, then Aizen sat beside the bed, slipping a hand into the noble's and stroking it gently. He waited quietly for nearly an hour in the silent room, simply holding Byakuya's hand and gazing down at him. Finally, he took a sudden, deeper breath and his eyes opened. They met Aizen's and he saw immediately the look of devastation.

"Byakuya," he said quietly, "I am pleased you woke. I was worried."

The noble blinked slowly and said nothing.

"Byakuya?" he repeated, frowning.

He slipped a hand beneath Byakuya's chin, lifting his eyes. The dark eyes stared blankly ahead. Aizen took the noble's face in both hands.

"I know that losing access to your son is very difficult for you. It will take time for you to adjust, but you will. And as you do, I will be here to take care of you. That is what spouses do for each other. Now…you should try to get some rest. I will be back in a while with tea."

He released Byakuya and adjusted the blankets.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked.

Byakuya stared ahead silently. Aizen bent and kissed him lightly on the lips, then turned and left the room. After several minutes, Byakuya climbed out of the bed and moved to the window seat. He leaned against the window with his arms around his midsection, staring at the light from the shinigami base.

_Everything is gone…everything. Renji…Kisho…Rukia…my clan…my squad. He's taken everything…even my very name…_

He stared at the light from the base, remembering how it felt to touch his lover's face…to breathe in his scent, to be achingly close to him, but unable to reach him. He had, he realized, been foolish to think he could escape…

"This is all there is now…all he will allow me…"

The door opened and Aizen entered the room carrying a tea tray. He sat down in the window seat, next to Byakuya and set the tray down in between them.

"It won't help you to do this," he said, cupping a porcelain cheek and slipping his fingers into the noble's hair, "It will only prolong your melancholy. You must focus on what you have, Byakuya, not what you've left behind. The sooner that you do, the sooner you will know happiness again."

He leaned forward and kissed the noble, then sat back again and lifted his tea to his lips. He remained in the window seat, drinking his tea and talking to his unresponsive spouse until the tea was gone. Then he took the tray and exited the room, leaving Byakuya still staring out across the dark sand.

_My only hope is that he…but who am I kidding? He was already walking away. Even if the shoes are found, no one will think they could be Kisho's. It is over. But I won't forget them. No matter what he says or how he tries to manipulate me, I won't forget the life I used to have…_

Tears filled his eyes and overflowed onto his face. He felt coolness against his cheek and realized that the window had not been closed all of the way. A guard stood near the window, but facing away from him. He turned every so often to look in the direction of the window, then back to look out over the desert. As Byakuya watched, he realized that it was time for the guard to change.

It took him no time at all to take advantage of the situation…

He slipped out as the guard walked away, closing the window and making his way around a corner and out of sight of the guard who came after. He knew a section of the roof that was cut off from the guards on either side. He had considered it while planning his escape…and it would work for the escape he had in mind now as well.

He walked to the edge, moving quickly because he wasn't sure how long it would be before Aizen came back.

And before that happened…

He heard an alarm sound and knew his time was up. He looked down breathlessly and only saw darkness. He wrapped his arms around his midsection and shivered with cold. He heard footsteps on the roof and raised voices. He fixed the memory of being so close to Renji, of holding Kisho close, of smiling inwardly as Rukia chattered on and on nervously. He remembered what it was to walk with Renji under a full moon, to smell the freshness of sakura and the waterfall at Kuchiki Manor, how it felt to hold Senbonzakura in his hand. He held his breath for a moment, the memories spinning in his mind and sending more tears down his face. Slowly, he released the breath and in slow motion, leaned forward.

He caught his breath again as an arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him back from the edge. The man didn't have to say a word for Byakuya to know who he was. It was the one who was always there now…the one who decided everything about his life…even when he would and would not die. He sagged in Aizen's arms as he was lifted and carried back to their bedroom. The window was closed and locked carefully into place with kido. Aizen set him in bed and sat down next to him.

"So…" he said softly, "You finally understand? You know who is master."

He slipped an arm around the noble and kissed him on the cheek, then brushed away the tears. Byakuya sat quietly, neither speaking nor moving.

"But you must think clearly, Byakuya. Such an act as you just attempted would only leave Kisho here…and Renji none the wiser that his son is alive. You must remain focused, despite the pain of longing you feel for your son."

He sighed softly and followed Byakuya's gaze to the shinigami base again.

"I am sorry that this lesson is so difficult for you," Aizen told him, the sincerity in his captor's voice sending chills through him, "You have remained hopeful through everything and have finally had all hope taken away…but let me assure you that this is not over. There is still a light that burns for you…just…not out there across that desert anymore. That light is nothing but a lie…false hope. There is one that is real. Open your heart to me…make love to me. Your arms will not be empty and your eyes will not be filled with tears for long. We'll make a child I promise you can hold and love, one that you will never be separated from. We'll have a comfortable life…an even better one once I have become king. I have brought you to the doorway, Byakuya, but it is up to you to take that last step. Happiness and contentment exist on the other side. I promise you. And you already know…I always keep my promises, just as I always follow through on my threats. Come, Byakuya…come to bed with me. I will set you on the path that leads to that happiness you desire."

Byakuya continued to stare at the shinigami base in the distance. Aizen shook his head and rose, then lifted the noble into his arms and returned him to their bed. He opened the noble's yukata and leaned over him, frowning as Byakuya turned onto his stomach, then parting his thighs and laying across his back as he took him from behind.

"Your eyes are still on the past, I see. I hope that eventually you will come to your senses and see reality. You are no longer Kuchiki Byakuya or Abarai Renji's fiancé, Rukia's brother, Kisho's father, clan leader or taichou. You are Aizen Byakuya…my life partner, my lover…and you will hand me the key to leadership of your former clan."

He reached around and captured Byakuya's length in his hand, stroking it as he continued to thrust deeply into the noble's heated core. He smiled at the unwilling response in his captive's body. Byakuya kept his head turned toward the window, focusing on the light in the distance and tuning out words and sensations, the whole of his being devoted to one purpose…

_Don't let him win…_


	5. On Padded Feet

**Chapter 5: On Padded Feet**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**(8 Years Later)**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Aizen Sousuke scanned the training grounds, looking for the fighting equipment he had ordered to be placed for his training. His reiatsu became disturbed as he realized that it hadn't yet been laid out and he turned back towards the entry. Just outside the entry, Kisho felt his master's spiritual pressure rising and knew that if he didn't want a good beating, he'd best run. Luckily, despite having no other shinigami powers, the boy was possessed of a flash step that Aizen hadn't yet found a way to deny him.

"Kisho!" Aizen called angrily, "Come here at once!"

The boy knew better than to allow himself to be caught while Aizen Sousuke was so angry. Hekima would intercept the master anyway and soothe him somehow…so that if he got in trouble later, he would receive little more than a scolding from her and an admonition to do a better job next time and to stay out of the master's way. He flash stepped madly, racing through the hallways of Las Noches and making for his hiding place. He had almost reached it when he had the misfortune to run full-tilt into Gin, who made a heavy 'Oomph' at the impact and froze the boy in place with his kido.

"Well, well, Kisho-kun," he said, frowning, "Have you angered him yet again? I thought you said you were going to try bit harder to please him."

Kisho sighed and looked back over his shoulder, feeling Aizen's presence in the distance and coming closer.

"I did mean to, Gin-san," he said, trying to keep the panic out of his voice, "It's just that no matter what I do or don't do, I'm always getting on his bad side. I think the man absolutely hates me! Why he even wants me to serve him…"

"Ah…there, there, Kisho-kun," said the silver-haired shinigami, "He doesn't hate you. He just mislikes anything that gets in his way or sets him off course. You simply have a gift for doing that."

"Great!" huffed the boy as Aizen's reaitsu grew closer, "I have a gift for making him mad…"

"Ah, I think it's not all about you. I think when he looks at you, he thinks of someone else who annoyed him on an entirely different level."

"What?" asked the boy, looking up at Gin with a confused expression.

"Never mind, Kisho-kun. He is nearly here. I will tell you what. Why don't you take the hallway on the left and run to the end. Climb the stairway and you can hide in the room that's at the top. I don't imagine he'll expect to find you there and if you stay a while, he might be cooled down by the time you return. Hurry now, off with you!"

Kisho didn't need an invitation to run. He turned and flash stepped away, leaving Gin behind and passing into a part of the fortress that he had never visited before. He hadn't been allowed. No one had. He had heard from Hekima the story of Aizen Sousuke's tragic life partner, who had fallen into unconsciousness and could not be awakened. He was said to be somewhere in this place the servants were not allowed to go. There were all kinds of rumors and stories about him…how beautiful he was…and how he used to be a powerful shinigami until he was captured by Aizen and forced to marry him. And he thought that the rumors must be true, because it was also said that another shinigami…a strong red-haired taichou had been launching assaults against the fortress for years, seeking the return of his lost love. Kisho had been near where they broke into the fortress one time, and had actually seen a red-haired man in a shihakushou and flowing white haori. After that, he always daydreamed about being powerful like that…about running away from the dark fortress and finding his way to the Seireitei to become a shinigami. He ran his fingers through his own shoulder length red hair and sighed softly.

_But I have no powers…only this flash step. It's the fastest of anyone's here. But what good is it if I have no powers to help me get out of here? You have to have powers to leave Hueco Mundo…and I don't._

He heard footsteps and realized he had been standing in one place for too long. He caught his breath as someone rounded the corner behind him and started after him. He knew right away that this was not Aizen Sousuke…nor was it Gin or Tousen, or a guard. He had caught a glimpse of the follower's mask and knew it was time to run again. He fled down the hallway, finding it odd that the follower made no attempt to call out to him, but only kept following at the same steady pace. Kisho glanced back and was rewarded with the information that what followed was a real samurai warrior. If he wasn't so worried about the man killing him, he might have stopped running, but he felt danger in being in this place, and so flash stepped forward, taking the stairs two at a time until he stood at the top and realized he was trapped. All that was there was the door to the tower cell…where the beautiful shinigami was supposed to be.

And Kisho had always wondered about the stories...

And why Hekima seemed so intent on him hearing them time and again…

He sensed secrets and felt a wave of curiosity pass over him. The samurai slowed and came to a stop in front of Kisho, gazing down at him.

"Who…are you?" the boy asked softly.

The samurai's lips moved, but no sound emerged. He lifted an armored hand and pointed at the door, then before the shocked boy's eyes, he slowly faded. Kisho stared at the place he had been for a long time before taking a careful breath and relaxing against the door. To his surprise, it opened. And Kisho fell backwards, landing on his posterior, still looking back at the doorway. The door swung shut with a clank and to the boy's chagrin, a lock clicked into place.

"Oh…oh my kami!" he gasped, running to the door and trying it, "Let me out of here! Let me out! Gin-san! Aizen-sama! Someone let me out!"

He yelled himself hoarse, then turned around and slid down the door placing his face in his hands as his chest heaved with the effort of all the yelling.

_There will be nothing Hekima can do that will make Aizen-sama less angry this time. He will probably give me to the Espada to eat!_

Kisho shivered softly and lifted his face out of his hands, realizing that in his panic, he had forgotten that there was supposed to be someone in this room. And looking up, he found, with a hard gasp, that the stories were true.

In the very center of the room was a large bed…and in the bed, resting in a field of healing green power was the very shinigami that Hekima had described to him. Kisho's eyes went wide at the sight of him, the lovely long black hair, skin that glowed despite how pale it had become, long eyelashes, delicate, sculpted features. A smile came to his lips as he slowly stepped closer, hardly daring to breathe as he stared at the unconscious man.

"Aizen Byakuya," he whispered, "So you really do exist…"

He moved closer and reached the beautiful shinigami, pausing at his bedside and saying his name again louder.

"Byakuya…"

His chest rose and fell softly and steadily but he did not move otherwise. Kisho found himself enchanted. He reached out slowly to touch the porcelain skin, but drew back again as footsteps sounded on the stairs. He felt Aizen's reiatsu flare and knew that he had been sensed…and the steps were quick and angry on the stairs. The door flew open wide, crashing into the wall and Aizen's form filled the doorway.

"Kisho!" he said, his eyes darkened with fury, "How DARE you come into this place! No one disturbs the rest of my Byakuya! No one!"

Kisho sucked in a sharp breath and fell back against the bed, his hand going back to brace himself and somehow finding Byakuya's. As their hands touched, power flared suddenly around them, a great blue light that stunned Kisho and held Aizen in place at the door. Somewhere outside the fortress, a wolf howled…

Aizen stared, first at Kisho and then at Byakuya as the noble sat up slowly and turned the boy to face him.

"K-kisho?" he whispered

"Byakuya," Aizen said with warning in his voice.

The noble leaned forward, studying the speechless boy. Kisho stared into the wide gray eyes, stunned to be face to face with the man from Hekima's stories. He trembled softly as the shinigami's hand touched his face, as though he was remembering him from somewhere. Then, a look of sadness filled his eyes and he looked up at Aizen questioningly.

"Byakuya," said Aizen, "I am pleased you have awakened."

He looked sternly down at the boy whose hand was still captured in the noble's.

"Kisho…you will leave us and wait at the bottom of the stairs."

Byakuya reluctantly released the boy's hand and lowered his eyes. Kisho's footsteps slowly faded into the distance. Aizen moved forward and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"So…" he said softly, "You have found a reason to live?"

"And what would it matter if I did? You are only going to take him away from me again, aren't you?" Byakuya said quietly.

Aizen was quiet for a moment.

"Byakuya, I know you will find this difficult to believe, but I felt terrible about your collapse. When I brought you here, I had thought that given time, you would accept your new reality. But I did not realize that taking Kisho from you would make you so despondent that you would collapse like that. Nor did it occur to me that his mere touch could revive you. Truly, you are a much more complex person than I imagined you to be."

Byakuya gazed at him quietly and said nothing.

"In any case, I am pleased that you have awakened and will see to your complete healing before resuming any physical relationship with you. I want you to be in perfect health so that we will have the best opportunity to be successful in making a child."

"You haven't outgrown that ridiculous notion that you can make me pregnant yet? How many years is it going to take, Sousuke? Ten? Twenty? A lifetime? You could make ten royal keys and still never come close to understanding the complex process that even we among the noble class fail to fully understand. Try though you might you will only continue to fail."

Aizen gave him a tight smile.

"Be that as it may, we have some time yet before we resume our attempts, Byakuya. As you heal, I wish to assign you a task. I am placing Kisho as your personal servant. You are not to identify yourself to him, nor are you to tell him that Renji is his father. You will use him as your servant…and when his zanpakutou appears, you will train him in its use. I will grant you limited use of your powers and a limited connection with your zanpakutou"

"I don't understand," Byakuya said, frowning, "Why do you Kisho trained?"

Aizen smiled.

"He is a Kuchiki and an Abarai. He will likely prove useful in my war against the king."

Byakuya leaned back against the pillows, thinking carefully.

_Kisho will never serve a day under this man's leadership. I will train my son and I will convince him to escape this place. Somehow…I will help Kisho escape. And kami willing, I will be able to escape with him!_

XXXXXXXXXX

Kisho waited at the bottom of the stairs, his heart pounding and having no idea what Aizen would do to him now. He had broken the rules coming to this place, but even as he considered the price of doing so, he couldn't get the beautiful shinigami out of his mind. Nor could he rid himself of the odd feeling that had passed over him when the man looked at him as though he knew who Kisho was…how he said his name in that particular, affectionate way…as though he was special to the man…

He remembered how it felt when he first touched Byakuya's hand, how there had been that explosion of reiatsu…that wonderful feeling of power inside…and he had heard a wolf howl. He had felt the power of that howling beast all the way down inside…and now something burned fitfully there. He thought it might be that now that he knew Byakuya and Renji were real heroes, he wanted that much more to grow strong…to be like them…and someday to be free of Hueco Mundo.

Kisho caught his breath, hearing the sound of footsteps on the stairway. To his surprise, Aizen Sousuke moved down the stairs, with his arm wrapped around Byakuya. Byakuya looked somewhat unsteady, but his eyes had already regained a more lively look and when he saw Kisho, he smiled. Kisho couldn't help but smile back.

"Kisho," Aizen said as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "You are, as of this moment, assigned to be Aizen Byakuya's personal slave. You will obey his commands as you would mine."

He paused for a moment, glaring meaningfully at him.

"Actually, you will do a _better_ job of obeying him…or I will have you thrown into a cell in the detention level. Whatever he needs to help him get well, you are commanded to give it to him. And in return, Byakuya will assist you in becoming somewhat stronger, so that someday you might actually be worth something to me. Do you understand?"

"Hai, Aizen-sama," the boy said, bowing briefly.

"Very well," said Aizen, "I will leave you to show Byakuya the way back to my quarters."

"Hai."

Aizen turned and walked away.

Kisho stood, gazing up at the tall, slender shinigami, waiting for what he would say. Byakuya gazed back with that same sadness that Kisho had seen before.

"S-sir," Kisho said, wide-eyed, "What do you wish me to call you? Aizen-san? Or…"

"Call me Byakuya-san," Byakuya said, the sadness beginning to fade, "Come, before we retire for the night, I would have you meet my zanpakutou."

Kisho moved closer, allowing Byakuya to lean on him a bit as they walked back through the meandering hallways and back towards Aizen's quarters. As they worked their way along, Byakuya began to regain more strength and he started to walk on his own.

"You look like you're feeling better," commented Kisho.

"I am," said Byakuya, smiling at him again, "and it seems that I have you to thank for that."

"What do you mean?" asked the boy.

"I remember when you touched my hand…how it sent the power through me…through us…and brought me back. I also heard the wolf."

"You did?" Kisho asked.

"Yes, Kisho, I did. And you should know that it wasn't simply one of the Hueco Mundo wolves howling outside. This wolf is inside you. He is a part of you. This wolf that we heard is the manifestation of your zanpakutou."

Kisho stopped short.

"M-my…zanpakutou?" he asked, staring, "I have a zanpakutou?"

"Yes," Byakuya said, nodding, "You have a zanpakutou, and together you and I are going to awaken it. But first, you will meet my zanpakutou."

Kisho took a surprised breath.

"What is it?" Byakuya asked.

"Your zanapkautou…Is it a samurai?" the boy asked.

Byakuya gave him a surprised look.

"Actually yes. Child, how did you know?"

Kisho's face broke into a smile.

"He appeared outside the room you were in and pointed me to it. He wanted me to find you. Do you why he would want that?"

Byakuya's face took on a guarded look.

"My zanpakutou likely had a sense that you and I are somehow connected in our fates. He pointed you to me to help you find your destiny…one that does not lie in this dark, evil place."

"Do mean…the Seireitei?" asked Kisho.

"Yes, I do."

Byakuya drew the boy closer.

"Kisho, tell me. Who has cared for you all of this time?"

"The slave woman, Hekima," the boy replied, "She's really nice. She tells me wonderful stories about you and about a taichou named Renji who keeps attacking the fortress. I heard Aizen Sousuke saying he would pay a fortune to the one who killed him, but Abarai Renji is too strong and too smart for him. He attacks and damages the base time and again…and Hekima says that he will never stop until he finds you."

"Renji has attacked the fortress? He has been here?" Byakuya asked.

"Yes!" said Kisho excitedly, "And once, I was there when he broke into the slave quarters. I saw him only for a moment, but he was amazing! Was he really your lover?"

Byakuya looked away.

"That was a long time ago."

Kisho sighed.

"I know," he said quietly, "Hekima always looks sad when she talks about you. She says Aizen-sama was horrible to you when he captured you and brought you here."

"And how has he treated you?" Byakuya asked, changing the subject.

Kisho shrugged.

"He doesn't talk to me except to give orders or punishments."

"He hurt you?"

"Well…not too badly. Just when I annoy him by not doing things the way he wants. But mostly, he ignores me. But I was surprised that he didn't punish me for finding you. I broke all kinds of rules to reach you!"

Byakuya smiled warmly.

"Then I would say that you do, indeed have much in common with Abarai Renji."

They reached Aizen's quarters and walked inside. Aizen rested in the bed, leaned back against the pillows. He looked up for a moment as the two came in, then leaned back, watching as Byakuya removed his sword from the sword rack on the wall. Byakuya sat down on his side of the bed and balanced the blade, tip down, in front of him. Kisho sat down on a chair and watched.

"This is the way that a shinigami connects with his zanpakutou. Once yours appears, you will do this to speak with your blade and to learn its name and powers. My blade is Senbonzakura. My connection with him will be weak as I do not have my full powers, but if you sit next to me, you will be able to see him when I call him."

Kisho nodded and moved to sit down with him on the bed. Aizen sat forward, watching closely as Byakuya bowed his head slightly and placed a hand in Kisho's. His power flared pink around the two, and Kisho closed his eyes and found himself in another place that was completely different from Hueco Mundo. Sakura trees grew everywhere and trails ran through meadows and deep, tranquil forests. He held on to Byakuya's hand as he was led to the edge of a great cliff, where a huge waterfall rained down.

"This is my inner world. Normally, Senbonzakura would already have appeared, but as I said, I do not have my full powers. I will try to make him appear."

"B-be careful," Kisho said, not quite knowing why he felt a stab of sudden fear.

Byakuya bowed his head and raised his power again, glowing pink for a moment. Kisho watched, rapt as, in front of him, the shape of the samurai began to form. He stepped forward, reaching out for Byakuya, but as his hands made contact and their eyes met, Byakuya's eyes misted over and began to fade. Kisho felt himself being pulled back out of Byakuya's inner world and back into Hueco Mundo.

"Master!" he heard an anguished voice call.

Kisho opened his eyes and watched in horror as Byakuya's eyes glazed over and he collapsed onto the bed. Aizen reacted quickly, pulling him close and snapping at Kisho.

"Get my personal healer…now!"

His heart in his throat, Kisho dashed out of the room.


	6. Gingetsu Ookami

**Chapter 6: Gingetsu Ookami**

Kisho had learned early on how to stay out of Aizen Sousuke's way, and so knew when the leader of the hollows sent him running for the healer that now was one of those times Aizen would not want him in the way. So as he led the healer into Aizen's bedroom and pointed him towards Byakuya, he stepped back and remained carefully out of the way as his new master was quickly examined and the healer turned to Aizen with a concerned look in his eye.

"What is it?" asked the leader of the hollows, "Why did he respond to contact with his zanpakutou that way?"

"You may remember when we put the heavy seal on his powers, I did tell you that if left in place for an extended period of time, his spirit centers would begin to deteriorate and eventually, he would lose his powers permanently."

"But you said there would be symptoms to warn of that," Aizen objected.

"There may well have been, but remember that he was also comatose for nearly eight years. The earlier signs might well have been missed due to that. In any case, the deterioration has begun and he is losing his ability to connect with his zanpakutou."

"So release the seal on his powers," Aizen ordered.

"I already have," explained the healer.

"Then why has there been no increase in his reiatsu?"

"Because his spirit centers are not able to respond. Watch as I send a touch of reiatsu through this one."

Aizen moved closer, observing carefully as the healer touched the spirit center with his reiatsu.

"You see, nothing happened. There was no response."

"So what will you do to cure him? He can be cured, right?"

The healer glanced over his shoulder at Kisho.

"Kisho-kun, please go and find my assistant…and tell him we are on the way to the infirmary and we will be doing surgery."

"Hai," said the boy, turning and running out of the room.

The healer turned back to Aizen.

"There is a way to save his spirit centers. I asked the boy to leave, because you said you did not want him to know of his connection to Byakuya-san. However, it is this connection of family that will enable him to provide a compatible reiatsu I can use to stabilize Byakuya-san's spirit centers. It is a delicate surgery and Byakuya-san's case is quite advanced, but I am relatively certain that if we act quickly, the surgery will be successful and Byakuya-san's powers would be restored. But, Aizen-sama, once he is restored, we will not be able to seal his powers away again or he will deteriorate even more quickly this time. I expect we could use a power limiter safely, because that merely arcs off the unused power instead of allowing it to put pressure on the spirit centers."

"Then we shall do that. But tell me, there is no danger to the boy? I need him in case Byakuya and I are unsuccessful in making an heir."

"The boy will not be harmed. But be aware. Once I release the block you had me place on Kisho's developing powers, they cannot be blocked again. That only works until the first time power flows through his spirit centers and then you must employ a seal, bearing the risks that we did with Byakuya-san's seal, or you must use a limiter. I would suggest the limiter."

"I agree. We had to use a heavy seal on Byakuya before, because he was too strong for a limiter."

"He will grow to be that strong again," warned the healer, "but it will be months before his powers become that strong and once they do, we could alternate the seal and the limiter as necessary."

"Then that is what we will do," Aizen said.

"We need to begin immediately then," said the healer, "Time is in short supply."

XXXXXXXXXX

Kisho felt a shiver go through him as the healer leaned over him and set soft restraints on his wrist and ankles, and at his waist.

"Don't be anxious," the healer told him, "This is just to keep you from moving around while I collect the reiatsu."

Kisho nodded and took a few slow breaths, turning his head to look at Byakuya, who lay unconscious on a bed beside the one Kisho was in.

"You will feel a tingling and then you will begin to feel sleepy. Let your self just fall asleep."

Kisho nodded and waited calmly as the healer sent his reiatsu into the boy's forehead, creating the expected tingling and causing him to blink, yawn and close his eyes.

"Good…just let yourself fall asleep."

Gradually, the healing room faded away and Kisho found himself drifting out of Las Noches…across the dark, lonely sands and into a different world. This world was nothing like Hueco Mundo, but was lush and green and filled with life. There were sakura trees, as there had been in Byakuya-san's inner world, but there were also rocky hills nearby, and it was to these that Kisho felt drawn. He brushed the wild, red strands of hair out of his eyes and walked towards the hills, sensing that womewhere ahead of him, someone was waiting. He thought, at first, that it might be Byakuya-san, but then, he thought, the reiatsu felt a bit different.

As he moved closer, he sensed movement in the rocks and he slowed. Oddly, as he reached the hills and began to climb, the higher he moved up the hillside, the darker it got, and the brighter the moon glowed, until he reached the top and the light had gone completely. He was left in complete darkness, except for the huge, silvery moon that hung in the air overhead.

He heard a rustling and then the padding of feet on the rocks and the sound of soft panting. Kisho turned and found himself looking into the large silver eyes of the biggest wolf he had ever seen.

Kisho had seen the hollow wolves, of course, with their ragged fur and bone masks…and he had seen pictures of the spirit wolves that lived deeper in Hueco Mundo, the Ookami Seirei that the slaves believe captured people and drank their reiatsu, turning them into spirit wolves too. He wondered for a moment if that was what this wolf was. But something inside told him that this wolf was very different from either of those other types.

He didn't have red or golden eyes like most of the hollows did. His were huge and bright silver, and in the middle of each dark center, he could see the reflection of the equally silver moon. His fur was not ragged, but full and thick…and it looked wonderfully soft. Not that he would have dared to touch it. The dangerous looking teeth were white and sharp. The wolf's face bore black lines across the bridge of its nose and over each lovely eye. He sat quietly, observing Kisho, as if waiting.

"What is this place?" Kisho asked, then he remembered Byakuya-san's inner world and thought that this place seemed something like that, but different, too, "Is this…my inner world?"

The wolf gazed at him sternly. Kisho almost jumped out of his skin when it began to speak to him.

"I will answer your questions…when you have told me my name."

Kisho blinked.

"But I don't know your name!" he exclaimed.

The silver and black lips curled back and the wolf growled softly.

If you do not know it, then before you can say it to me, you must convince me to tell it to you. And I will only do so if you catch me."

He heard the hiss of a flash step and the wolf disappeared, then reappeared some distance away. Kisho didn't hesitate, but leapt into his own flash step, following as the wolf swept down off of the hill and through the trees. Kisho flash stepped wildly, weaving around the trees, slashing through brush and grass, focusing steadily on the wolf as it continued to run.

"Do not look at me with your eyes, feel my path with your heart. This is the only way to catch me…Kisho."

And when he closed his eyes, he seemed to feel a connection between himself and the silver wolf. He could feel its movements, step for step and turn for turn as they flash stepped through the trees. Kisho was surprised that he was able to negotiate the forest with eyes closed, but the more he ran, the more he felt like this world was a familiar place.

_I was right before! This is my inner world!_

He kept his eyes closed and pushed himself to his top speed, feeling the rush of air against his lean, strong body. He was sensing the wolf's moves more swiftly now and was even beginning to sense them before they happened. He closed in rapidly now, listening as the harsh panting grew louder and he heard the silver paws striking rock again. He felt suddenly that the wolf was going to make a sudden turn and turned with him, leaping forward, and reaching out with both hands. His fingertips encountered something thick and softer than silk.

Everything stopped and when Kisho opened his eyes to see what had happened, he found himself sitting on the silvery moon next to the wolf. The beast wagged his tail and whined happily as it sat down facing him.

"Well done, Kisho," he said softly, "Your senses are sharp, your flash step swift, and your heart is strong. You are ready to know my name."

Kisho stared at the wolf, hardly daring to breathe.

"When you desire my power, call out my name and I will come to you. Kisho…my name is Gingetsu Ookami. I am the Silver Moon-Wolf."

"Gingetsu Ookami…" Kisho whispered, feeling the name seal itself within his heart.

He repeated it in his mind endlessly as his inner world faded away and he fell into a deep, restful sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Abarai Renji lay concealed in the sand alongside the rest of his fighting unit. He visually checked the position of the guards and then relaxed against Rukia's back.

"Abarai taichou," Rukia said quietly, "Is everything all right?"

"Hai, Kuchiki fukutaichou…everything's fine. I was just being cautious."

Rukia laughed softly.

"It still sounds funny, hearing you call me that," she said, settling against him again.

"Yeah, well you should have been an officer in the first place. I know I shouldn't tell you, because he'd likely want to kill me for it, but he admitted to me that he held you back from being a seated officer in the first place. It was because of Hisana. He didn't want to take the chance of losing you. He'll probably kill me when he finds out I had you moved to squad six and promoted like that…but they wouldn't have promoted you if you weren't qualified."

"I know," Rukia said, yawning, "and just so you know, I became aware of what he did a long time ago."

"You did?" Renji asked, turning to look at her.

"Yeah…I just didn't say anything because I understood his reasons. But now, I have to hold this seat and use all of my power. I want my brother back, Renji."

"I want him back too," Renji agreed, "So we will stay here…and we will keep fighting."

Rukia nodded, but there was worry in her eyes.

"You know that Central 46 will be sending out search parties soon. We were supposed to return weeks ago. And they warned us that we would be removed from our seats if we…"

"Yeah, I know. I guess we'd better enjoy being taichou and fukutaichou while it lasts, ne?"

"Yeah," Rukia agreed, lying back down and closing her eyes again.

_Renji had just dropped off to sleep, when he found himself wandering in his inner world. He walked slowly, sensing something was odd. He felt a strong presence, something familiar, but almost forgotten. He came to a doorway that looked into another world, but would not allow him to enter. On the other side of the door, sat a huge, silvery wolf…and at his side, stood a boy with red hair like his, but silver tipped…gray eyes like Byakuya's but silver edged. And on his face, markings that matched the ones on the wolf._

_He stood, staring as the boy approached him and stopped on the other side of the door. Tears flooded Renji's eyes as he realized that he was looking at his son…and his son's newly revealed zanpakutou._

"Renji!"

He didn't want to leave…

"Renji!" Rukia's voice said, more urgently, "Renji, hollows are attacking. We have to move!"

XXXXXXXXXX

When Kisho opened his eyes next, Aizen Sousuke was sitting next to him, holding a slender, beautiful blade that he was examining carefully. A moment later, Kisho realized that the blade must be his very own zanpakutou!

He sat up quickly, making his ears ring, but he found that he wanted nothing more than to touch it, to hold it in his hands, to feel again, the presence of Gingetsu Ookami. He looked at Aizen questioningly.

"You know what this is…"

Kisho nodded.

"It is my zanpakutou," he answered quietly.

Aizen nodded.

"While you lived among the slaves, your powers were blocked, as all slaves' are, so that your zanpakutou could not come to you. I do this so that my stronger slaves will not be tempted to oppose me. But even now that you have been allowed your zanpakutou, and even though you will be apprenticed to Aizen Byakuya for training with this weapon, I warn you now, never to raise it against me. If you ever use your powers to attack me, I will kill you. I will give no second warning. Do you understand, Kisho?"

"Hai, Aizen-sama, I understand."

Aizen suddenly seemed to notice something and leaned closer, studying Kisho's face intently.

"What is it?" Kisho asked.

"It seems that your zanpakutou has marked you.

He picked up a mirror and handed it to the boy, who held it up and looked at his reflection, then nearly dropped it again.

"Wh-what?"

He blinked, but what he had seen had not changed. Where his eyes had been dark gray before, now they were edged in silver. The ends of his red hair, too, looked as though they had been dipped in silver at all of the tips. And across the bridge of his nose and over his eyes were the same markings that the wolf had on his face. Kisho stared in amazement, shaking his head in wonder.

"Unusual," said Aizen, "I think when fully trained you will be quite useful. Listen well to your master and your powers will be strong."

Kisho looked past Aizen to the next bed, where Byakuya lay sleeping.

"Is Byakuya-san going to be all right now?" he asked as Aizen sheathed the blade and handed it to him.

"Yes, Byakuya will be fine. His spirit centers were restored and when he is well, he will begin your training. As he heals, you will serve him. You will no longer live with the slaves, but will have a room near ours."

"Arigato, Aizen-sama, I am honored."

Aizen smiled cryptically.

"Well, Kisho, you have earned a better place in my kingdom…and you will find that loyalty and accomplishment are readily rewarded. However, rebelliousness and incompetence are not going to be tolerated. Do I make myself clear?"

"Hai, Aizen-sama."

"Then go now and sit with your master. Your presence seems to have a calming effect on him."

Kisho got up slowly and moved to the chair beside Byakuya's bed. He took his master's pale hand in his and sat quietly, watching him sleep.


	7. Learning to Howl

**Chapter 7: Learning to Howl**

Kisho knocked softly on Aizen Sousuke's door, then pushed it open. He had seen the leader of the hollows leave the room some time ago, so knew not to expect to find him in the room. Instead, as he entered, Byakuya looked up from the bed, where he sat, adjusting his yukata. Kisho wasn't sure why, but there was something about the way Byakuya looked…the tumbled hair, slightly flushed lips and tired eyes that made him feel angry inside. Not at Byakuya…no…but for some reason, he hated the very idea that Aizen Sousuke shared a bed with the lovely and quiet shinigami. It seemed wrong. He knew they were married, but still…he remembered the stories Hekima had told him…about how Aizen had abducted Byakuya from his wedding and brought him to Las Noches and forced the shinigami to marry him instead.

_He belongs with his true love, Abarai Renji! And if I have to work all day, every day for a hundred years, I'll find a way to help them be together again…_

He knew that being returned to his lover would make Byakuya happy again. But he had such a long way to go! But, he told himself, now that Aizen had found Byakuya fully healed, they would be able to train.

"Good morning, Kisho," Byakuya said quietly, "You look well. I haven't seen you since I became ill. Come closer."

He walked to the bed and stood quietly as Byakuya studied the markings the wolf had placed on his face. The elder shinigami touched the silver ends of his hair and nodded approvingly.

"You have learned your zanpakutou's name?" he asked Kisho.

The boy nodded and removed the zanpakutou from his waist, handing it to Byakuya, hilt first.

"Gingetsu Ookami," the boy said softly.

The blade glowed briefly at his words. Byakuya studied the blade for several minutes, then handed it back to Kisho.

"The spirit in this blade is very strong. He will prove challenging to master, but will be a valuable ally. Your souls are already beginning to resonate. Your desire to learn matches well his desire to fight alongside you. He has felt your frustration and it has become his own. You have a turbulent heart, Kisho. Your heart is as wild as this zanpakutou's spirit. Why do you think that is?"

Kisho stared at Byakuya, thinking carefully.

"I think that he wants us to be free…just like I do. Even though he's been freed and allowed to bond with me, we are still slaves here. We don't want to be slaves anymore…"

He looked deeply into Byakuya's weary eyes.

"Just like you don't want to be with _him_ anymore," he finished.

Byakuya took a surprised breath, then nodded.

"My heart will always be with my family…with Renji and the Kuchiki clan."

"The Kuchiki clan?"

"Hai…I come from a noble clan, sworn to the service and protection of the spirit king. I was the clan's leader…years ago, before I was brought here."

Kisho felt his heart jump. He trod lightly, knowing Byakuya would likely stop talking if he asked too many questions.

"Byakuya-san, I don't want to give you bad memories, so I will stop if you wish…but…but I wish you would tell me more about Abarai Renji. Hekima only said he was a very courageous shinigami, and that he was your fukutaichou…and that you fell in love. But I always wondered…was he a noble, like you?"

Byakuya shook his head.

"Renji was a commoner. He came from an area near the Seireitei called the Rukongai. He grew up in a very poor region…with my adopted sister, Rukia. I met Renji when I came to ask Rukia to join my family. Later, he became my fukutaichou…and even later, we came to love each other."

"But I thought that nobles weren't supposed to marry commoners," Kisho said, "Didn't your clan object?"

"Yes," Byakuya admitted, "As a matter of fact, they hated that I wanted to be with Renji…but they had no choice once they realized that we were soul mates."

"Soul mates?" Kisho asked, raising an eyebrow.

"When a noble meets his or her soul mate, their spirits are bound together. A lock is set upon their hearts and they are love-bound for life. Once it happens, the noble can only make heirs with his or her soul mate. The only thing that changes this is the death of one, but not the other. Aizen Sousuke is not aware of this. He thought that by just marrying me, he could make a child with me. He is wrong."

"Then why not just tell him? Wouldn't he let you go?" Kisho asked.

"No," Byakuya said quietly, "If Aizen Sousuke learned that we could not have children, then he would seek to kill Renji. I do not wish to give him a reason to kill my soul mate. And in any case, he holds power over someone dear to me. I must remain here, and he must not know. You must never repeat what I told you."

"I won't," Kisho promised.

"Good," Byakuya said, slipping his legs over the side of the bed and standing.

Kisho waited patiently as Byakuya showered, then brought him a shihakushou and his weapon. Byakuya dressed, then slipped Senbonzakura into the belt at his waist and led Kisho out of the bedroom and down the hallways to the training room.

Kisho had been in the large, indoor training arena before, but only as a servant, assigned to gather weaponry or hiding from Aizen Sousuke. It was quite different, he found, being there with the intent of actually training. He liked the translucent dome that made the room seem part of the desert outside, and indeed, the sand and rock interior of the room underscored that effect.

"We'll warm up with our flash steps," Byakuya told him.

The elder shinigami disappeared suddenly and Kisho was left staring after him. Even after having his powers sealed away for so long…and having a limiter placed on him, his flash step was wicked-fast. Kisho flash stepped after him, using the senses his zanpakutou had helped him learn to sense the pattern of the shinigami's motions and to move to intercept. But as much as he knew where Byakuya was going, the elder shingami surprised him repeatedly, by employing special flash steps that left images behind or by altering his reiatsu slightly at a critical moment to throw him off. Their warm up turned into the most thrilling game of tag that Kisho had ever experienced. He felt sad inside when Byakuya finally came to a stop and indicated the warm up was over.

But then his master drew Senbonzakura and Kisho felt another thrill of energy pass through him.

"You have already learned your zanpakutou's name," Byakuya said, "and that gives your weapon leave to assist you in your fighting. But to master the basic attack of your zanpakutou, you must learn the release command. Stand opposite me and do not fear what you see. My attack will not harm you. The limiter placed on me has rendered me unable to actually cause damage, but even if not for that, the careful control I employ over my shikai as it is released would protect you from it. You wear a limiter as well…and so when you attack, you will not harm me."

Kisho moved into position and waited as Byakuya lifted Senbonzakura, point up in front of him.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura," he said softly.

Before Kisho's entranced eyes, the lovely blade glowed pink and dissolved into what looked like a sea of spinning flower petals. The petals spun and danced hypnotically, then headed towards Kisho, looking more and more threatening as they approached.

"Senbonzakura, the command, 'Scatter,' causes the blade to dissolve into a sea of blades so fine that as they move towards my enemy, it looks like cherry blossoms falling. This is my shikai."

"So how do I get Gingetsu Ookami to tell me the command?" asked Kisho.

"You must put yourself in a situation that demands it to emerge. We will do that. But first, how familiar are you with a sword?"

"Well," said the boy, "There was an old man who showed me some things, just the first steps, he said…but…"

"Very well, Kisho," Byakuya said, inclining his head, "Then prepare yourself. Use what you know to block my weapon. I warn you that if you allow me to penetrate your defenses, I will cut you…not enough to hurt you badly…but enough to make this real for you. You must believe that you are in a real battle and fight thusly."

Kisho swallowed hard and nodded.

Byakuya stepped forward and moved in with a basic overhead strike. Kisho read it and blocked, his hands trembling slightly as he adjusted to the feel of Byakuya's blade striking his. They moved through a series of cuts and blocks, their eyes locked and tuning out all but each other. Byakuya continued to test the boy's ability, adding a little as they went along until by the end, they were free fighting, using an array of basic maneuvers. Byakuya pressed in, making harder strikes and challenging the boy, trying to push him to use his shikai.

Kisho felt the weariness pushing in on him and the danger increase as Byakuya's strikes tested his defenses. He felt the wolf's presence and tried to connect with it, continuing to hold off Byakuya's attacks as he struggled with the connection. He heard a growl and then words whispered in his mind. As Byakuya's blade closed on him, he loosed them in a sharp, howling cry.

"Soshaku, Gingetsu Ookami!"

At the command, a piercing howl sounded and froze Byakuya for a split second as Kisho shot forward and slashed. The noble recovered and blocked the heavy strike, but Byakuya nodded approvingly as he read the young shinigami's ability.

"Gingetsu Ookami," he said softly, "When commanded, his howl freezes your opponent in place for a moment, and then the fang is loosed and you strike at many times your normal speed…a very powerful technique, Kisho."

The young shingami gazed at Byakuya, hardly believing what he had just felt his body do.

_Now, if only I could be freed from this limiter!_

His happiness faded as he felt Aizen Sousuke's reiatsu and the leader of the hollows entered the room.

"Kisho," he said dismissively, "Go and clean up for dinner. Come Bya."

He slipped an arm around the noble and started out the door with him. He stopped as Gin appeared.

"Bya, go and wait for me in our room. I will join you momentarily."

Byakuya sighed softly and followed the path Kisho had taken. He realized belatedly that he had removed his fingerless gloves in the room and left them behind. He turned back, stopping at the door as Gin's voice floated out.

"Do you think he suspects?" Gin asked.

"Why would he? I'm still bedding him nearly every night. As long I focus on him, he won't think for a moment I'm interested in the boy as anything but a fighter. But when Kisho turns eighteen, if Byakuya has still not proven fruitful, I will kill him and use Kisho instead."

"Too bad you have to wait so long, ne?"

"Not really," Aizen chuckled, "Aizen Byakuya is a delight in bed. I enjoy our time together immensely. Who knows…maybe I won't kill him. Maybe when Kisho is old enough…"

Byakuya turned and flash stepped away, the awful words still burning in his ears, and more desperate than ever to escape. He felt Aizen's reiatsu moving in his direction and felt his own power strain under the limiter.

"I'll kill you for even thinking such a thing…" he hissed softly.

He flash stepped back to the bedroom and stood quietly by the window. A few moments later, the door opened behind him. He said nothing as the leader of the hollows approached him from behind and wrapped his arms around the noble.

_But if I make a wrong move now, then Kisho and I will both die. I feel Renji close by. He's out there somewhere, waiting for an opening…_

He shivered at the touch of Aizen's lips at the juncture of throat and shoulder.

"I've been looking forward to being with you all day," Aizen breathed in his ear, "Unfortunately, I have an important meeting…some business about a band of renegade shinigamis in the desert near here. Friends of yours, perhaps, my love?"

Byakuya started to sigh in relief, but was chilled at Aizen's next words.

"Ah, it's a bother, really, but we'll have their heads soon enough. And I imagine there is a small amount of time before I meet with the Espada to plan their demise. Come, Byakuya…" he said, pulling the noble in the direction of the bed.

_Give me one opening, one chance to get Kisho free and I'll gladly sacrifice my life to end yours!_

"Truly, your eyes are enchanting tonight, Byakuya. Whatever are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking of the thousand ways in which I would like to kill you."

Aizen smiled.

"Lovely," he said, lowering his spouse onto the bed, "Why don't you tell me all of them?"

He sank into the noble's beautiful body, sating himself as Byakuya breathed each horrid fate onto his sweat-slicked skin.

XXXXXXXXXX

Rukia peered through the long distance opticals, then nudged Renji and handed them to him.

"Look, Renji, in the training room!" she hissed excitedly, "It's them!"

Renji brought the opticals to his eyes and studied the training room in the distance, loosing a soft sound of frustration.

"Damn! If only we could attack now! But there isn't a way to get to them right now."

"Hai," Rukia agreed, "Whenever they are together, Aizen has the place on high alert, as though he expects them to escape at any minute!"

"I think he just doesn't want to chance that Byakuya will be strong enough to break out. Remember, you sensed he was restrained with a limiter right now. Can you sense his power level?"

Rukia focused deeply for a moment.

"His power level is too low to break the limiter. But it has grown over the last several days…"

"But how much longer will it be, huh?" Renji snapped in frustration, "It's been too long, Rukia! He's been in that hellhole for eight damned years…almost nine! How many more nights is he going to have to lie down next to that son of a bitch, cause you know why he grabbed Byakuya! Byakuya _knew_ when he got pregnant that it would make him a target. We had so many guards around us…so much security, but it didn't make a fucking bit of difference! Aizen just waltzed in and took him anyway!"

"And we've just been through one failed attempt after another," added Rukia sadly, "But that isn't the end of it, Renji. You said it when we left the Seireitei. We won't go home without them. We're going to take them back."

"Yeah…" Renji said absently, watching as Byakuya and their son crossed swords and moved around the room, flash stepping, striking at each other, blocking and attacking again.

His eyes widened as he felt the soft flare of energy building between the two. Byakuya slashed more seriously, pushing the young boy to the limits of his ability and carefully drawing out his shikai. He lost the ability to breathe as Byakuya moved in on the attack and the power rose around the boy. His eyes glowed and a gripping howl broke through the air, reaching even through the translucent shielding, across the sands and to where the renegade band of shinigamis lay concealed. In a flash of speed that defied logic, the boy was attacking. As fast as Byakuya was, Renji knew that if the two hadn't been wearing limiters, the noble would have been challenged by that kind of speed.

"Damn! He's good…" Renji muttered.

"Well, think about whose kid he is," Rukia said, gazing out across the sand.

"All right, I know you just mean Byakuya, but…"

"No, stupid," she said, kicking him gently, "I meant both of you."

Renji watched as Byakuya sheathed his weapon and the two turned as Aizen entered the room. Anger burned inside him as the leader of the hollows slipped an arm around Byakuya and the noble's head lowered slightly in response.

"Bastard…" he hissed softly, "Enjoy it while you can…cause we're taking them back."

He left the camp and moved closer to the fortress, carefully following the path to the vantage point he watched from each night. He had the pattern of the guards down perfectly now. He knew just when to move to avoid being seen. He could reach Byakuya…but not their son…They never came out together. Byakuya came out alone to stand in a corner of the roof where he was out of the sight of the guards. The guards accepted this readily, knowing that he would not leave without his son. They simply noted his position and waited for him to reappear when his moongazing ended.

_You're going to see more than the moon tonight, Bya. I can get to you and we can start planning a way to break you two out of there!_

He moved into position and held his breath, watching the precise motion of the guards as Byakuya emerged and moved across the roof. He slipped into the alcove. He stood quietly, staring up at the moon. Renji's eyes softened and a thin shaft of pain passed through him.

_Bya…_

The noble stared up at the moon, his eyes gently reflecting the light.

_What are you thinking?_

The dark gray eyes closed for a moment and a tear rolled down a porcelain cheek.

_You're thinking of me? Of Rukia? Of home?_

Renji dropped into a crouch, watching the guards carefully. It would take his fastest flash step to get into the alcove.

_But we have to talk if we're going to make a plan. I can get out again when he goes back inside. They'll be watching him, not the alcove._

He felt the moment arrive, gritted his teeth and shot forward out of hiding and across the open space between them. One moment, he was on a sand dune just outside the fortress and the next, he was sliding to a stop in front of the stunned noble. Byakuya stared at the cloaked man in front of him, not believing his eyes. Then, he inhaled sharply and sank into his lover's arms, with a silent sob of relief.

"Renji…"


	8. New Blossom

**Chapter 8: New Blossom**

Byakuya felt an all-too-familiar sick feeling inside as Aizen slid out of him and rose from their bed, leaning over to impart a final kiss on his forehead.

"I'll need to shower before the meeting," he said, looking into the dark, hateful eyes, "I won't mind at all if you join me."

"I would never willingly lower myself," Byakuya said in a low voice, flinching as Aizen's fingers slipped into his hair and tightened painfully.

"I don't know what this sudden rebelliousness is…where it comes from, Bya, but if it continues, I will take punitive action against you."

He was silent for a moment.

"Perhaps the close proximity of a certain renegade shinigami has renewed your determination to be difficult? Well, don't get your hopes up. I have plans in mind for Abarai Renji, for you…and for little Kisho. If you push me too far, you won't live to know what they are. Am I making myself clear?"

Byakuya's lips tightened and he winced as the fingers in his hair tightened even further.

"Byakuya?"

"Your words and intentions are more than clear to me," he said, finally, nearly choking on the words.

Aizen smiled.

"Good," he said, sinking into the captive shinigami's mouth again, "I would hate to have to kill you and spend the next decade alone in my bed, ne?"

_If not for the protections on this limiter to incapacitate me if I were to attack, I would strangle you with my bare hands…_

"Mmmm," Aizen sighed, "I think I enjoy a bit of aggressiveness in you, though. I wish we had time for more now, but it must wait until after I meet with the Espadas. Don't go too far, my love. I will be back soon enough."

Byakuya retained just enough presence of mind to say nothing in response. He settled for glaring and rested quietly in the bed as Aizen left to shower. Climbing out of bed, he walked to the window and dropped into the window seat. He focused on the moon, but also reached out and felt again, the close proximity of his lover.

_I feel like I've been losing a part of myself each time he has touched me. Renji…if this lasts much longer, I'll be hollowed out inside…more dead than this land and the ones who inhabit it…_

He heard the shower turn off and Aizen re-entered the room and began to dress.

_I wonder if I'll ever be rid of him…his touch, his scent, the remains of reiatsu and his essence on my skin. How will I dare to approach my lover again, having been so soiled…?_

Aizen's lips touched his throat, then his mouth.

"I will return soon, Bya."

He said nothing, but only waited in silence as Aizen stroked his hair, then left him there by the window. As soon as his captor was gone, he fled to the shower and washed until his skin burned with scrubbing. He leaned heavily against the shower wall, trying to remember the last time he had been with Renji, then immediately regretting it as memories tore at his mind. He left the shower and dressed in a fresh yukata. He walked past the freshly made bed and slipped out onto the roof, passing under the watchful eyes of the guards and into the small alcove that offered him the only privacy he had in all of Las Noches. He stood, staring up at the moon, and fighting the awful weariness that seemed to increase every time Aizen laid hands on him.

_I wish I could erase his touches with yours, Renji. I miss you…_

A tear of frustration slid down his face and he simply let it go, sighing in relief that there was a place where he could vent off the heavy emotion. Just that one tear seemed to lift some of the burden and he felt a little more able to breathe. He stood quietly, then, breathing slowly in the night breeze.

A sudden flash step and the appearance of a cloaked man in front of him, made him step back in surprise. He thought, at first, that it must be a guard, then that it could be an Espada…but all of them were with Aizen. He looked closer, freezing as Renji's warm, familiar scent fell over his senses. Then he was in his lover's arms, his face buried in the wild red hair, breathing him in and kissing mouth, face and throat, nearly sobbing his name in relief.

"Renji…"

The lips that met his smiled, and strong hands cupped his face. The bright, red-brown eyes burned down into his, forcing away the weariness, helplessness, futility…all.

"Bya…my Bya…" Renji whispered, kissing him so ferociously that his mouth ached.

Byakuya burrowed in beneath the folds of the heavy cloaked and pressed his body against Renji's.

"You shouldn't have done this," Byakuya said warningly, "I am watched very carefully."

"I know that," Renji replied, attacking his throat hungrily, "but I saw that they leave you alone when you are here…and I have to talk to you. I have to get you out of here…you and our boy!"

Byakuya smiled, but his lips trembled slightly.

"Kisho…" he whispered, "I called him Kisho. He was born on that New Years Eve."

"Kisho…" Renji whispered, smiling more widely, "I like that. It suits him."

"You have seen our son?" Byakuya asked, his eyes widening.

"Yeah," Renji said, nodding, "I saw him in a dream…in my inner world, through a blocked doorway…then again earlier when you were teaching him to release his zanpakutou."

Byakuya felt a proud smile reach his lips for the first time in years.

"He is strong, Renji. And he looks so much like you."

His smile faded.

"But you should know…Kisho does not know who we are. Aizen wouldn't allow it…as punishment for when I tried to escape him, years ago."

He caught his breath in surprise as Renji reached into his cloak and withdrew a pair of baby shoes.

"I found them just after he took you away again," Renji said softly, "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Byakuya asked, meeting his lips again, "He used his powers so that even though I called your name, you could not hear it, even though I touched you, you could not feel it. It wasn't your fault."

Renji swallowed hard.

"He…hurt you for that?"

He meant to, but I lost consciousness…and after he took Kisho from me, I collapsed entirely. He locked me away in the tower and I remained senseless for nearly eight years. It was only recently when Kisho blundered into my room, that his touch revived me and I was able to see him again. Aizen ordered him to be my servant…and for me to train him. He said it was for use in his army, but Renji…he has frightening plans. We have to get Kisho out of here!"

"I know that," said Renji, "but what's the hurry? What are his plans for Kisho?"

Byakuya sighed and his eyes grew dark with emotion.

"He has been trying to make an heir with me."

The reiatsu rose, red and dangerous around the redhead, but he reined it in carefully and nodded for Byakuya to continue.

"For once, I am pleased our clan was so cautious with the information, so never wrote it down. He doesn't realize he would have to kill you to be able to claim that right."

"But he would have killed you then, had you told him…"

Byakuya nodded.

"And Kisho would have been alone and would never have been able to learn who he is."

"He grew up without us anyway," Renji said bitterly, "because that bastard…"

"I tried to escape, knowing what he would do…but I was desperate…In any case, Kisho was fortunate enough to be placed with the servant woman, Hekima, who has no love for Aizen. She made sure that even not knowing our connection to him…Kisho knew of us…and our struggle to return to each other. Renji, when we escape with Kisho, I want to bring Hekima with us. Without her, our son would have been lost…"

Renji nodded.

"Now, all we need is a plan."

Byakuya sighed and shook his head.

"I am watched so carefully when I am with him…Aizen would never…"

He paused, frowning.

"We need something to distract him…something to make him let down his guard…"

Renji shook his head.

"That's gonna be really…wait…wait, Byakuya, listen. See if this makes sense. Aizen's been trying to impregnate you for years. He knows I'm here, so he has his defenses up…because he knows there's constant danger of you taking Kisho and making a run for it."

"Yes?"

"So what if we do something to make him think that he's won?" Renji asked, brightening.

"What? Like alter the reiatsu around you? Make it look as though you died?" Byakuya queried.

Renji smiled slyly.

"He wants a baby. I say we give him one…or at least one on the way."

Byakuya's eyes widened.

"R-renji…that's…that's awfully risky…I'd say reckless…but…"

"But it make sense, and you know it! He isn't going to think we were together! He'll think it's his…and if you follow up by playing the part…"

"Carrying on as though I've been fouled and can never return to you?" Byakuya added, nodding.

"You'll have to really act the part, or he'll see through it…"

"But if I convince him that I cannot leave him any longer, he may let up enough that we can escape!"

"Hmmm," said Renji, "But you'll have to escape soon. Because as soon as that heir is born, you know, deep down that he'll want to kill Kisho…"

"But he'll only do that once another heir…'his' heir…is born."

Renji lifted the noble's chin and met his eyes, grinning.

"So, soul mate, you want to start the clock ticking?" he said, pushing Byakuya back against the wall.

Byakuya smiled as Renji's mouth attacked his, biting down and making his ache with hard, passionate kisses. He yanked on the tie at the noble's waist, pulling his body closer and pushing back the material to free Byakuya's slender, white body. A hard jolt went through him at the sight, and he laughed softly as Byakuya's hands worked him free of his shihakushou.

"I'm not so clean as you," Renji said apologetically, "We've been in this hellhole for ages and hardly able to stay even a little clean…"

Byakuya attacked his mouth with penetrating kisses, pressing his freshly washed body against Renji, moaning softly at the heat of him. He felt the redhead's seething erection touch his thigh and felt his breath shorten and his mouth go dry. Inside him, something stirred…a deep sense of recognition…a calm acknowledgement. And as he gazed back at Renji, golden centers appeared in the dark gray eyes, prompting a savage grin from his lover.

"It seems your body wasn't fooled by Aizen's tricks and manipulations…" he murmured, moving in closer and rubbing his swollen member against Byakuya's, "You still remember who you belong with…"

"I assure you," Byakuya panted, "Neither I nor my body was fooled for a minute…"

He fell silent as Renji's mouth sucked hard at his throat, as the warm, calloused hands roamed all over him, memorizing again every slim line and soft curve, every rise and fall. He smiled at the sight of the markings his lover's mouth left in its wake, at the passionate roughness with which the redhead's body cornered and claimed his. He welcomed the scrape of the wall against his back, the feel of Renji's fingers pushing into him and preparing him, the continuance of sweltering kisses that left him breathless and barely able to stand.

Finally, his legs gave way and he collapsed against Renji, completely overwhelmed and shaken to the core by the sudden return of passionate love. Renji laid his cloak down and lowered the dazed noble onto it, then continued his hungry assault on his lover's stunned form. He touched and kissed every inch of lovely white flesh, then took Byakuya's length in his mouth, pleasuring him eagerly and hooking his fingers inside the noble, making his back arch and forcing him to bite down hard on his lower lip to keep himself silent as the deep sensation gripped him tightly and he released in hot pulses that his lover devoured as Byakuya laid recovering himself. He sat up slowly, then climbed into the redhead's lap, positioning himself over Renji's thick, flushed erection then taking him inside slowly. He paused, looking down into the dangerous, red-brown eyes, then dropped the rest of the way down as Renji pushed his hips upward, sending a welcome shock through the noble and setting off a flurry of heavy, deep thrusts. They kept their mouths fastened tightly on one another's to hide their half-contained, wanton moans. As Renji's pleasure neared its peak, Byakuya turned and laid down on his stomach, with Renji's heating his back and the redhead thrusting into him with bruising intensity.

_Because that is the kind of lover he is with me. He doesn't hold back any part of himself from me…on the training grounds or battlefield or in our bed, this man always attacks with his full strength…_

Happy tears came to the noble's eyes as the memories flooded back into his mind…of hot, wonderful nights in Renji's arms and waking with the slight ache…with a few telltale red markings and slightly bruised thighs. And he could still taste Renji in his mouth and smell his scent all over his skin. No one had ever made love to him this way…no one…no one but Abarai Renji…

He gasped softly as Renji's hand wrapped around his surprisingly responsive member, stroking in time with his thrusts as the redhead whispered in his ear.

"It doesn't matter how long it's been, or how many time's he's been with you. There's only one person who you belong to…who belongs to you…who shares this bond. No one can take this from us…ever…"

He buried his face in the thick cloak to hide a sob of pleasure and moaned fitfully as pleasure overtook him again. Renji found that wonderful place inside him and pushed into it repeatedly until both lost their breath and climaxed together. Renji's heat filled him, and his own pulsed out onto Renji's hand and into the fabric of the cloak they lay upon. They collapsed entirely, going silent, but not daring to surrender to sleep.

Some time later, they sat up and Renji set about healing all signs of their coupling. Byakuya frowned and muttered his discontent, but the redhead just laughed softly and continued to heal him.

"Wait…not that one," Byakuya said, looking over his shoulder as Renji addressed a bite mark on the back of his neck, under his hair, "Even if he does find it, he won't know…"

"All right," Renji chuckled, "Just keep it hidden."

"I will."

Byakuya swallowed hard.

"I will come out here again as soon as it is official. It shouldn't be long. I'll be surprised if I make it inside without losing consciousness."

"Ah, but that's just from our lovemaking…"

"But he doesn't know that. He'll assume it means he's been successful…and hopefully, he'll be so focused on the developing child, he'll leave me alone after that. If I'm lucky, he won't touch me again before we get out of here."

"Get going, then," Renji said, picking up his rumpled cloak, "I'll flash step out while the guards are watching you."

Byakuya nodded, then sank into the redhead's arms for a farewell kiss, before exiting the alcove and walking slowly back along the roof to the window. He climbed back inside and dropped down, making a sound of surprise as Aizen looped an arm around him and brought him in for a kiss.

"Out moongazing again?" he asked softly, "I was almost ready to come out looking for you."

"My apologies. I felt…unwell. I think perhaps a shower would help."

He frowned in annoyance as Aizen followed him into the shower and insisted in washing him personally. Byakuya rested quietly against him, remembering and feeling his legs weaken just at the thought.

_It was so wonderful being in his arms again…and soon we'll get away from here and I'll only ever feel Renji's touch again._

His eyes closed and exhaustion spread through him, making him lean more heavily against his captor. He suffered Aizen's touch just long enough to be washed and dried off, then pulled free of him and stumbled towards the bed. He stopped for a moment, hearing Aizen's voice, but not understanding.

"Byakuya, you look pale…"

He was lifted off his feet and carried out of the room, his head spinning until he could no longer see. It was a relief to sink into darkness and silence, to watch Aizen's face disappear into nothing.

_Renji's love always overpowers me like this…_


	9. Unreal

**Chapter 9: Unreal**

Gin's palm touched Byakuya's forehead lightly and the noble's mind went into a spiral, making him feel like he was falling. He began to drift, and as he did, he thought he could still feel Renji's seed, deep inside his body, causing the nature of his being to shift and making it possible for him to carry a child. It wasn't a change of gender, merely the opening of a spirit chamber, a place where the collected seed and reiatsu would bind and form their child's body. Birth did not require the pushing out that human birth did. The baby's body would form first as a spirit cluster, one that could pass through the body and emerge. Then, after emergence, the cluster would solidify and fully materialize. It was an old magical art practiced by the ancient noble clans…and none had used it more recently, because few knew about it. The information was never written down. So dangerous was the knowledge, that it was passed on by word of mouth from clan leader to clan leader. Some of the other clan's leaders had long ago chosen to forgo its use, arguing that it was improper, but the Kuchiki clan, being keepers of the greatest store of knowledge in the three worlds was not going to allow such a thing to be forgotten. Ginrei had carefully imparted the knowledge to Byakuya and years later, when he realized that he was falling in love with Renji, it gave him hope that they could convince the Kuchiki elders to accept their union…but before he had gone that route, he had had to be sure Renji felt the same. As Byakuya's mind spun in circles, the memory returned in full color…

_He sat quietly at his desk, filling out reports and requisitions, making schedules and approving transfers of men and supplies. As he worked, he felt Renji's eyes touch him. It was a familiar feeling now…those visual touches. The physical ones felt different as well. But despite the beauty in those touches, Byakuya could not seem to act on them. Only having taken those steps with Hisana…and their relationship having been exceedingly gentle in nature, he was unnerved by the strength of passion building between Renji and himself. He knew, of course, how to proceed physically. Despite never having been with a man before, such a thing was clear enough. But he wasn't certain if he dared to loose the aggressive energy housed within his fukutaichou. He didn't fear Renji's power…but the heavy, unyielding passion in those lovely red-brown eyes. He didn't fear physical injury, of course, but only an intense, all encompassing surge of emotion in his heart. Having loved before and having watched his lover die…he was unsure if he could take the final steps and make himself vulnerable to love again._

_He had no idea that the decision was about to be taken out of his hands…_

_Abarai Renji stole another glance at his beautiful hard working taichou and felt a purr of contentment in his chest. His heart raced wildly beneath his skin as he sat, looking busy and composed, but hiding the raging beast that longed to fly across the room, drag down the Squad Six taichou and devour every bit of that glowing, white skin. It was nearly impossible to contain that part of himself now. He wondered for how long he had thought of Byakuya as the bane of his existence, the bastard who stole Rukia from him, the one who irritated him by always demanding more of him and endlessly chasing him to be better than he was. Yes, he had hated Byakuya for a very long time. But then…it had taken him a while to see it…_

_Because beneath everything that made him hate the man was something that made him love Byakuya. He adopted Rukia to protect her for Hisana…and even though he initially supported her execution and even fought Renji to see it carried out, he had in the end, saved Rukia himself. He pursued Renji endlessly about footwork, kido and paperwork because when he looked at Abarai Renji, he saw a taichou that no one else knew of yet. Yes, it annoyed and frustrated Renji to no end…but he loved every minute of it…_

_And ever since Aizen's betrayal, Renji had answered Byakuya's barrage of intent with answering determination. If Byakuya wanted ten minutes of hard training, he gave an hour. He didn't just avoid embarrassing his taichou with mistakes, he made Byakuya proud of his dedication. And he handled his job of training the squad members so well that the sixth division was the jewel of the Gotei 13._

_And while he and Byakuya dedicated themselves to their division and to Renji's advancement, something else happened as well. It began simply. Furtive glances at each other as they worked…small, incidental touches as Renji delivered his taichou's tea or as Byakuya placed a hand on him to correct his grip or posture. And beneath the respectful replies Renji gave him, there was a growl of promise…a warning that the beast within Renji was hungry and wanted more than just a surface encounter. There was answering hunger in the calm gray eyes that returned his glances, the body that strained against his in their training and the lips that delivered everything with that air of calm sarcasm and, Renji found, a surprising hidden warmth._

_But Byakuya held himself firmly in check and it was beginning to make his more aggressive counterpart wonder if he would ever do anything more than look from a distance. And Renji's patience was running thin. Not that he once considered sating his passions elsewhere. Focused on Byakuya as he was, Renji forgot anything else existed. And he would have been shocked and pleased to learn that Byakuya returned that sentiment one hundred percent. But, the redhead decided, enough was enough. And innocent in his teasing or not, Renji was about to unleash himself on his unsuspecting taichou._

_There was a particular moment he waited for…a split second when Byakuya's hand moved to renew the ink on his brush and his eyes flicked away, allowing Renji a single flash step to fire himself across the room. One moment Byakuya was sitting on his chair, replenishing his ink and the next he was taken down, the chair left behind him, untouched, and papers flying in all directions. Renji broke their fall, rolling them along the floor, stopping them short of the far wall and simultaneously laying claim to the pretty and frowning mouth he had been admiring all day. Byakuya was stunned to suddenly find himself lying on his back, pinned by Renji's body, with no idea how his fukutaichou had managed to put him there so quickly. He tried to respond with flaring eyes and resistant hands, but meeting with Renji's feral orbs, he was left breathless and his hands refused to push, but would only cling as his mouth was rudely invaded and his tongue quickly subjugated._

_Byakuya very quickly decided he liked being both tackled and devoured like this. But such a thing as that where others could walk in was inexcusable. After several minutes, and before Renji could do much more undressing of them than dragging his shihakushou off one pale shoulder, Byakuya met Renji's eyes fiercely and his fukutaichou paused. He used the moment to disentangle himself and to rise onto unsteady legs. Renji watched, still on hands and knees on the floor._

"_Taichou…" he growled softly._

_Byakuya inhaled sharply at the husky sound of it._

"_You will cease mauling me in a public place where anyone could walk in. You should know better."_

_Renji's lips curled into a grin._

"_Are you saying it is all right to maul you in private?" he hissed softly._

_His eyes locked on Renji, he reached up and unfastened the kenseiken, letting the restrained strands loose to fall onto his face._

_Renji licked his lips._

_Byakuya moved on to the ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu, a delicate hand unwinding it from around a very vulnerable looking throat. The taichou's haori left his shoulders and was laid neatly over the back of his chair. Then, he slowly removed each fingerless glove, leaving him in a simple shihakushou. He yielded Renji a fleeting smile and saw a hard shiver move through the red-haired man's strong body._

_Again, the noble was surprised at just how fast he was taken off his feet and gathered against his fukutaichou's heaving chest. The office disappeared and he found himself in his taichou's quarters and being brought down roughly onto the bed on his back. Renji wasted no time with words, but took his lips again, with a passion that made them throb softly, even as the redhead moved on to attack the tender skin of his throat. Calloused hands wrapped firmly around his wrists and held them down on either side of his head and Renji's heated body held his tightly against the bed. Byakuya felt his fukutaichou's growing length through the stiff material of their shihakushous and imagined how much hotter that Renji's flesh would feel pressed against his. He ached to remove their clothes, to feel that searing heat, and caught his breath as Renji's teeth took hold of the tie at his waist. The redhead's body reared back, pulling the tie free, then Renji's hands released his wrists and opened his shihakushou, sending that red, biting mouth on a crawling descent down his body. Byakuya used a freed hand to pull the hair tie from Renji's hair and watched, rapt as the silken lengths of red fire swept down and trickled lazily onto their flushed skin. As the redhead continued his assault on his taichou's chest, tormenting a pink nipple with slow licks and heavy suction, the noble's fingers slipped into his hair, curling and clenching as pleasant twinges made him gasp and thrust upward. A hot tongue found his navel and Byakuya was nearly unable to breathe. He released the redhead's name in a sharp hiss and Renji responded by tearing the rest of their clothes away and letting them fall away onto the bed and floor. Still breathless, Byakuya could not raise an objection to the mess._

_That devilish mouth moved down from his navel, kissing and licking down the way lined with soft, black hairs, into the 'v' beneath and down to tease the noble's length with seething breath and a long, heavy lick as Byakuya moaned his name. The red-brown eyes flashed with passion and he moved down even further, finding his taichou's virgin entrance, teasing it and threatening invasion. The sound that escaped Byakuya made him stop for a moment and sent a shiver of desire rocketing through them both._

_Despite his unleashed ardor, Renji slowed to prepare his taichou's body carefully. He was taken by surprise as his formerly seemingly passive sexual partner overturned him and parted his slender, white thighs, straddling his body and bringing their lengths into sudden, intense contact. Renji's hands wrapped around Byakuya's slim, writhing hips, moving with them as the noble held himself on hands and knees, thrusting hard against him, the steely gray eyes flashing and the sweet, pink mouth opening into heavier moans that sent lovely shocks through his fukutaichou's trapped form. Renji arched his back, thrusting upward and turning. There was a moment of shock as the two tumbled off of the bed and onto the floor, then the redhead threw himself onto Byakuya's back as he turned, held him down and pulled the hair away from his neck, biting down on throat and shoulder. He slid a hand down the strong, white back, holding Byakuya still and preparing him as the noble fought the body above his, hissing an order for his fukutaichou to stop teasing him and threatening painful outcomes if the order was not obeyed immediately. Laughing softly, Renji laid his chest against the captured noble's back, licked the pale skin of his throat and nipped an ear. He pushed into the noble's body slowly, despite Byakuya's objections, paused to nuzzle a soft cheek and to whisper his affection. His taichou's lips curved upward and the gray eyes that sought his softened. He held himself still as long as he dared, both of them breathing heavily and enjoying the first mutual sensation of being fully joined._

_He laced his fingers into Byakuya's and began thrusting, starting slowly, but abandoning gentleness as the body beneath his moved restlessly and the noble's hips rose to meet each thrust eagerly. Byakuya's fingers curled and hard, gasping moans escaped his lips. Renji shifted, increasing the speed and depths of his thrusts, striking the center of pleasure inside the noble and making him moan louder and clench harder. He tore a hand free and wrapped it around Byakuya's length, stroking it heavily and taking him over a precipice. The noble gave an uncharacteristically passionate cry that echoed all of the way down to Renji's core as he followed his taichou on a blindingly beautiful fall into completion. Heat seared Byakuya inside and the noble's hot seed pulsed out onto Renji's hand and their abandoned clothes. They remained there on the floor for some time after, their bodies still joined and Renji's cheek resting warmly against his._

"_Taichou…" Renji whispered, his heart still pounding from the exertion, "Taichou…you are so beautiful…so hot inside. I don't want to move. I want to live and breathe with you…my Taichou…m-my…Byakuya."_

"_Who said you could call me by that name?" the noble said, the amusement plain in his voice._

"_My apologies Taichou…" Renji said, grinning against his cheek._

"_You may call me Byakuya…but only when we are alone."_

"_Hai, Byakuya…"_

_They crawled back into bed and fell asleep in each other's arms, their bodies aching wonderfully from the intensity of their lovemaking. Byakuya woke burrowed deeply in his fukutaichou's arms, the small scratches and bruises healed and Renji's heat still warming him inside._

"_Aishiteru yo, Renji," he whispered to his sleeping lover._

"_Aishiteru yo…Byakuya," Renji whispered back, surprising him._

"_Renji…"_

"_Hai…"_

"_You will clean up the papers you threw about…"_

"_Of course, Taichou," Renji chuckled, starting to pull free._

_Byakuya's arms tightened, stopping him. The redhead looked at him questioningly._

"_Who said I was finished with you yet?" Byakuya said, narrowing his eyes aggressively._

_Renji's lips curled into a smile and he turned back and fell on the noble's waiting body again._

"Byakuya?" Aizen's voice said softly, cutting into the noble's memory and sending it spiraling away.

A shiver went through his body as he remembered his long captivity at the hands of the leader of the hollows. He opened his eyes and found himself in the infirmary.

_That's right…I was with Renji. I lost consciousness upon returning to Sousuke's bedroom…_

"Byakuya…Gin has given us wonderful news…"

_He isn't going to think we were together! He'll think it's his…and if you follow up by playing the part…"_

"_Carrying on as though I've been fouled and can never return to you?" Byakuya added, nodding._

"_You'll have to really act the part, or he'll see through it…"_

_"But if I convince him that I cannot leave him any longer, he may let up enough that we can escape!"_

"It's happening," Byakuya whispered, "It's really going to happen…"

"Yes," Aizen said, wrapping his arm around the noble's shoulders, "Bya, we are going to have a child. Gin says that the spiritual chamber formed shortly after we made love. That is likely why you lost consciousness…and as we speak, my reiatsu is binding itself to yours and forming the reiatsu cluster that will become our son or daughter…"

"_You'll have to really act the part, or he'll see through it…"_

"Byakuya?"

I think he's stunned beyond words, Sousuke," said Gin, grinning.

Byakuya stared straight ahead, a dazed expression on his pale features and tears rising in his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, Byakuya saw Kyoka Suigetsu at Aizen's hip. In a lightning fast move, he tore it from the sheath and as Aizen's eyes widened in surprise, the noble brought the other's blade up and in a swift, deadly arc towards his own throat. Aizen's hand caught the blade, stopping it just shy of it's destination. Their eyes met for one awful moment, then Aizen's power fired through him and Byakuya collapsed into his captor's arms.

"Hmmm…" said Gin, "Hope you have an idea about how to keep him from killing himself and your progeny. I don't think you thought of that when you were cooking up this oddball plan."

"You let me worry about that," Aizen said, lifting Byakuya into his arms, "That was just a knee-jerk response for this one. When he wakes again, he will begin to process. I think I will be successful in convincing him not to take his own life."

"If you say so…" Gin said, looking unconvinced, "I say you're going to have quite a fight on your hands."

"Yes," agreed Aizen, studying the unconscious noble's face, "I believe you may be right."


	10. Beautiful Deception

**Chapter 10: Beautiful Deception**

**(My thanks to SnowFlowerSister of Toshiro241, Scarlotte O'Hara, Clobojojo, Casting Moonlight, Kyuumihaira, White Ensigma, Krazyliscious, phAnt0mgh0st7018, and a Guest!)**

Upon regaining consciousness, Byakuya was unsurprised at finding himself returned to Aizen's bed and set in restraints to prevent him from killing himself. He was, however, a bit surprised that the devil wasn't there, waiting for him to wake so that he could gloat some more. But given the time to do so, he made use of the monitors he knew were kept focused on the room while he slept, and began to move and thrash about restlessly, keeping his eyes closed as he strained against his bonds. He felt the burn at his wrists as the bindings chafed his skin, and scented a tinge of blood. He was careful not to smile. Instead, he centered himself and reached down into the well of hopelessness inside him…forged by years of captivity and always, to this point, held carefully inside him. Tears rose in his eyes and leaked onto his face as he continued to moan and thrash about.

"Let me go…" he moaned, "Damn you…Aizen…"

He could feel his husband's eyes watching him through the monitor now, and carefully let the emotion build, starting with moans and straining against the binding…rising into tears and half-muted sobs. His breathing fell into hard, panting intakes and his reiatsu rose and fought the limiter on his power.

"You can't keep me here," he sobbed, "You can't…"

He sensed Aizen rising and turning in his direction, and let his cries build up into hard, chilling screams. Even having brought the outburst on purposely, Byakuya was surprised at the strength of the emotion, as the limiter on his powers shattered and the bindings holding him down broke. And before he quite realized what he was doing, he was on his feet and flash stepping across the room, still screaming furiously, then crashing through the glass window and falling onto the roof outside. Flash steps sounded everywhere now as the guards reached him. But as their hands gripped him, his power exploded around them, incinerating them where they stood.

"_Renji_!" he screamed, only half aware as the pent up emotion raged out of him, uncontrolled, "_Renji_!"

He crawled forward through the broken glass, ignoring the pain as it tore his skin. He was almost convinced that madness had actually overcome him, when Aizen's body dragged his down, and held him, panting, screaming and straining to pull free. He expected Aizen to be furious, to inflict pain to regain control, but the leader of the hollows merely held him in place, his body trapped and unable to move. He said nothing as his captive writhed and sobbed senselessly beneath him, resting his head against the distraught noble's heaving back and waiting as the flood of emotion poured out of him.

"Y-you…damned monster…LET ME GO!" he sobbed, "I've been away from my home for almost ten years! You've stolen nearly ten years of my life, you miserable bastard! It wasn't enough you used my sister in your plans and could have killed her…you ripped me from my life and brought me to this awful…dead place and kept me from my home and everyone who means anything to me! You took my son because I tried to escape you…and locked me up in that tower after I went mad with pain! You poisoned my body with your seed and tainted me with your name…but it wasn't enough. No. Now…now…this…this…you…how could you? How could you?"

He felt genuine illness rising up inside him and had no choice but to loose it. As his body heaved uncontrollably, Aizen's weight lifted off of his back and his husband's arms wrapped around him, steadying him as emptied his stomach, then leaned heavily against his stunned captor, shaking and pale as a ghost.

"Come back inside," Aizen said, stroking his hair lightly, "We'll have tea brought and we will talk. Obviously, if this continues, you will do harm to yourself and our child, Bya. I am willing to make some concessions…within reason. I didn't realize how distressing this has been for you. I thought that if I did not hurt you, that you would adjust to being here…but I see that maybe that was short sighted. You are much more emotionally fragile than I imagined. But I think that you and I can still manage this to our mutual benefit."

"Don't try to sway me with false promises, Aizen Sousuke," Byakuya said in a choked voice, "You forget. I know you. I know how ruthless you are…and just how little your promises mean!"

Aizen's head settled on his shoulder and the deep, calm voice sent fresh chills through him.

"And I know you, Aizen Byakuya," he said quietly, "You are cornered and desperate. The years of captivity have worn on you. You would do anything to see your home and loved ones again. You would lie, cheat, steal…ransom your body…even sell your pure soul. But none of that will be necessary. Come…let us see to your wounds and talk, now that you have calmed."

Aizen helped him to his feet, but his legs shook unsteadily and he collapsed into his spouse's arms. Aizen simply lifted him and carried him back across the roof, the glass crunching under his feet and his voice soft and calm as he stepped carefully through the place where the window had been, into the bedroom, and onto the cold tile floor. He laid the noble down in their bed and, to Byakuya's surprise, left the restraints off. He walked back to the door and ordered tea to be brought, then returned to the bed and sat down next to the uncertain noble. A healer entered the room and carefully saw to his cuts and bruises, then washed his face and throat with a cool, wet cloth. He bowed to Aizen and left them alone again.

"I know this is a shock for you," the leader of the hollows said quietly, "Perhaps you had convinced yourself that because you had not become pregnant in all of these years, that you were not going to. And maybe you convinced yourself that I would have let you go eventually, but the truth is…if you hadn't been successful, I would have killed you when Kisho came of age…and I would have used him instead. But even admitting that, I would have been pained at losing you. I have become very fond of you, Byakuya…even with your fits of temper and your bouts of rebelliousness. I do, actually love you."

"Do not insult the word love by describing what you feel that way," Byakuya said in a low voice. You like defiling me. But you would leave off and kill me if it suited you. That is nothing like love, Sousuke."

"But…what I am trying to say is that things have changed. I admit readily that it was like that before…but…you have become pregnant with my child. You hold a precious gift you are going to give to me…and after it is given, I will not be able to look at you the same way again. Byakuya, having given me this gift makes me want to keep you alive and well to be a part of this family we have created. Our child should have all of the love of both of his parents, don't you see? So…to help you accept our child, and the life I have to offer you…I will make these promises."

Aizen leaned forward and took Byakuya's hands in his. The noble shivered softly, but did not resist.

"First, as soon as our child is born alive, I will release your Kisho to Renji. Your son may go home and for a time, be given his place as heir. I will, of course, have to make Kisho disappear when I am ready to claim and use your clan, but I will only contain him. I will not harm him…and when I am king, I will allow him to regain his place as the Kuchiki heir when our child comes to the spirit dimension as heir to the throne. So…both of your children will live and have their places. I also will not harm Renji. I know that you have not forgotten your love for him, despite how I tried to make you forget him. And additionally, I offer you this…"

He held out a slim metal band and slipped it onto Byakuya's wrist.

"This will allow you…once our child is born…to leave Hueco Mundo and travel wherever you wish to go for one week out of every six months. While you are away, you may go where you wish and see who you want to, but if you attempt to tamper with the band or if you attempt to commit an act of adultery by having sex with anyone but me, you will be instantly returned to Las Noches and the privilege will disappear."

He broke off for a moment as a servant delivered their tea, then bowed and left. When he turned back to Byakuya, the noble had returned to the shattered window and gazed out at the desert silently, his arms wrapped around his midsection and his reiatsu stormy.

"Byakuya?" he queried, "Did you hear what I said? You will be able to go and spend time with your loved ones. Is that not what you wanted?"  
Byakuya stared dazedly at the lights from the shinigami base in the distance. His chest heaved softly and tears broke free and ran down his face. Aizen moved closer, gazing at his tormented expression and frowning.

"Byakuya…you said that you wanted to see your family and friends again. I said that you may. Does this not please you?"

There was a long pause, then Byakuya turned back towards him, ignoring the tears on his face and meeting Aizen's eyes squarely.

"How can you be so cruel?" he asked softly, "How can you use my desire to see my family and friends to control me until you get what you want? We both know it will never happen. You will never let me see them. You are just telling me that so that I will cooperate…and you will kill me when this child is born."

"That is truly what you believe?" Aizen asked, his eyes locked on the noble's, "That I am lying to you so that you will do this for me…and then I plan to kill you?"

Byakuya stared at him and did not answer. Aizen watched him for a moment, then sighed softly.

"Go to him then."

"What?" Byakuya whispered.

"Go out the front gates. Find Renji and his band of marauders. I know your sister is with them. You may spend the night with him, but do not give yourself to him. You will be returned here immediately if you attempt it. I will keep Kisho here as assurance you will return. This will give you a chance to tell Renji that the two of you are over. You will tell him about our child and the future we have planned together. Tell him Kisho will return to him soon. Tell him everything. But in the morning, the band on your wrist will activate and return you here…and if you do not return, then Kisho will die."

Byakuya gazed longingly out the window, but made no move to leave. Aizen watched him for a moment, then made a sound of annoyance.

"I said you may go to him. Go, Bya."

Slowly, Byakuya lowered his eyes.

"What is it now?" Aizen said brusquely, his patience slipping, "Why don't you go to him?"

Fresh tears erupted onto the noble's face and he dropped onto his knees on the window seat, staring out into the darkness. His arms wrapped around his midsection and silent sobs wracked his slender frame.

"Byakuya, what is wrong now?"

"I can't," the noble whispered in a choked voice, "I cannot face Renji. I cannot bear to tell him what you've done to me. I can't…I…can't…"

"And yet, you must. Bya…as much as you want to return to him, I think that you see now that it is not going to be possible…and that is what has triggered your destructive behavior. But there is no escape now. You know that."

He took the noble by the arm and urged him to his feet, then silently walked him down the hallways and to the huge entry doors. At his order, the doors opened and Aizen released him.

"Go and find him," the leader of the hollows ordered, "Say what you have to say. It is time to truly put your former life behind you…time to let go. Return to me when you have done that…and we will leave this behind and move on into our future together."

Byakuya looked back at him for a moment, then moved forward with hesitant steps, out the entry doors, into the courtyard, past the staring guards and out into the desert beyond. He turned in the direction where he sensed his lover's reiatsu and flash stepped away. The fortress disappeared behind him and he masked his reiatsu carefully so that Aizen wouldn't simply follow him to Renji. He studied the slim silver band on his wrist, but found no sign of it being any sort of listening or tracking device. And even if it had been, he knew Renji would have protections against such things. They would be safe…and able to make their plans…and soon, he and Kisho would be able to escape.

"Hey…" said a gruff voice, "What are you doing out here all by yourself? Aizen send you to give me a message?"

A slow smile crept onto Byakuya's face and the emotions that had been so intense before drained away as Renji wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. He buried his face in his lover's red hair, breathing in his scent and sighing in relief. Renji's head turned and his mouth sought the noble's, but Byakuya pulled away.

"What?" Renji queried, frowning.

Byakuya lifted his hand and showed him the silver band on his wrist. Renji gave a sharp, sarcastic laugh.

"Great…" he muttered, "A chastity belt?"

"Something along those lines," Byakuya affirmed, "but also an added assurance I would return. And he takes no chances. Kisho is inaccessible as long as I am here."

"What? Is he trying to tease me now?" Renji asked, sounding annoyed.

"More to taunt you, I think," said Byakuya, smiling at him.

Renji smiled back at him.

"Does that mean what I think it does?" he asked.

"Yes," Byakuya said softly, "the spirit chamber has formed and the process has begun. Aizen believes that he has been successful in impregnating me."

Renji laughed.

"Little does he know, ne?" he chuckled.

He turned them in the direction of the rebel camp and slipped an arm around him.

"Look…I'm thinking that I should probably slip you into camp without letting everyone see you. It would be like teasing them, you know? Maybe we should tell Rukia, but…"

"You are right. You and Rukia should know, but the others would only be misled into thinking the fight was over."

He set the hood over his head, carefully hiding his face as they continued walking.

"So…" Renji said, glancing at him, "when is that thing going to steal you back from me?"

Byakuya sighed.

"In the morning. It will return me earlier if there is any attempt to tamper with it…or if we try to make love."

"You know," Renji chuckled shaking his head, "Your husband is one nasty piece of work, Byakuya. You have no idea how badly I want to kill him right now. Teasing me like this…what an asshole!"

He sighed in resignation, leading Byakuya through the rebel camp and into his tent.

"Well…we do get to sleep in each other's arms for the first time in ten years. I don't know about you, but I would die for just that much, Renji…" the noble confessed softly.

Renji's eyes saddened.

"Me too…" he admitted, "So we won't waste any time."

He peeked out of the tent and spoke to someone. A few minutes later, Rukia stepped into the tent.

"What do you want, taichou?" she asked.

Byakuya slowly drew back his hood and took in Rukia's dazed expression.

"Don't yell," Renji warned her, "He has to return to Aizen in the morning…but he wanted to see you."

Renji smiled and nodded at Byakuya, then slipped out of the tent. Rukia continued to stare at Byakuya, wide-eyed and silent. The noble stepped forward, gazing down at her, equally silently.

"N-nii-sama?" she whispered, finally, "Is that…really you?"

He nodded.

Rukia moved closer and reached up to touch his face.

"I can hardly believe it…" she whispered, tears rising in her eyes, "It's really you…"

Byakuya looked more closely at her worn uniform.

"You are…a fukutaichou?" he asked.

Rukia nodded.

"Renji and I needed to get stronger and to move up in rank so that we could come for you. Not that it means much. We have overstayed our mission here…and we were warned that it we did so, that we would lose our rankings. But we didn't care, Nii-sama. We only moved up so that we could keep your case active anyway…and when we come home, I will gladly pay the consequences for disobeying orders to save you."

Byakuya sighed gratefully and wrapped his arms around her, startling her. She stiffened for a moment, then settled against him, hugging him back and crying softly.

"I'm sorry, Nii-sama," she said, sniffling, "but it's just so good to see you…to touch you. I can't help it."

"It's all right," he assured her, "I understand."

They remained there for several more long moments, then Rukia wished him good night and left. A moment later, Renji returned. The two men donned yukatas and laid down on Renji's cot together. Byakuya turned and rested his head on Renji's shoulder, aching and tired, but not wanting to sleep.

"I was worried about you earlier," Renji said, derailing his thoughts, "I saw you crash through that window…and you were screaming my name…"

"Oh…" Byakuya said, not sure how to respond, "It was just…to…"

"To convince him the baby was really his?" Renji queried, "I'm sure it helped to do that, but…Bya…your reiatsu was off the charts. It could have destabilized. That was really dangerous. You should be more careful."

Byakuya sighed.

"I won't lie to you," he said softly, "I lost control. It seemed as though everything I had been through…I hadn't been responding to…but bottling it up…for all of this time just came out all at once. And I didn't mean to let it get away from me…but I lost control of the emotion."

Renji studied his face for a moment in the darkness.

"Well…I think you've made your point now. When you go back, I want you to take it easy. Don't rile him and don't rile yourself. Convince him that you have accepted your fate."

"I will," Byakuya promised, "but for tonight…I just want to spend the night holding you. I want to bury myself in your eyes and forget about tomorrow. I haven't lain next to you since I was pregnant with Kisho…"

Renji smiled and nuzzled closer, resting his chin on top of the noble's head and breathing in the soft scent of sakura.

"So…how do we get you two out of there?" he asked.

Byakuya thought for a moment.

"Aizen restored my powers. He thinks I will not leave to return to you, so he has let his guard down. But there is the matter of this band. I have to get him to remove it…or it will only bring me back if I escape. I really must do a good job of convincing him that I have given up…and that I have no plans to ever return home. If I do that, he should remove this. Then…I will bring Kisho to the training room. With our powers unsealed, we should be able to raise a strong enough attack that if you attack the enclosure from the outside and we attack from within it…it should be destroyed. But we must not stop once the attack begins. If we do…we will not have another chance. Once this begins…we must escape…or Aizen will kill us all."

"Okay," Renji agreed, "we will be waiting for your signal."

He ran his fingers through the noble's soft hair and kissed him on the forehead.

"We'll get you out of there…I promise we will."

"I know you will," Byakuya whispered, "and we will finally go home and get this travesty of a marriage annulled so that I can marry you. And you can get to know Kisho. He is so like you, Renji…beautiful…powerful…so very like you."

"Well…he's like you in those ways too, Bya."

Byakuya shook his head.

"I am nothing like that. I have been at Aizen's mercy and unable to save myself or Kisho…"

"Hey…it isn't like we did much better. We all have to work together on this, Bya. And when we do…we'll get you free…"

"Yes," Byakuya whispered.

But inside, he wondered if he would ever be free of Aizen Sousuke…


	11. Hidden Fangs

**Chapter 11: Hidden Fangs**

Byakuya felt a rare smile rising on his lips as he woke to the feel of Renji's eyes watching him. It was something old and familiar, yet it had been years since he had felt it. He laid contentedly in the redhead's arms, breathing in his pleasant, masculine scent and enjoying the feeling of those treasured hands as they gently held and caressed him, the touches warm and searching, but stopping short of anything that could be construed as sexual. They were both very cognizant of the rules of his visit to the rogue camp.

"Did you sleep at all, Renji?" he asked softly.

The sleepy red-brown eyes blinked slowly.

"Hell no," he replied, kissing the noble's fingertips, "Couldn't take my eyes off of you. So I just laid here all night looking at you…kissing you some…remembering how it was. Damn it, Byakuya. We have to get you and Kisho out of that place. I want our family to be together…"

"I want that too, Renji," Byakuya said, nuzzling closer.

"Do you have any strategies?" the redhead asked.

Byakuya thought for a moment.

"I'll let him think I've calmed…that I am grateful to him for letting me spend the night here. I'll just train with Kisho…and I will try to get him to believe that the band he placed on me is interfering with my systems. As soon as he removes it, I will meet Kisho in the training room and give you the signal to attack."

"We'll be ready. We slipped in and placed some kido disrupters to weaken the shielding on the training room…and we're set up under cover there. I'll just stay in the area until we get the signal from you to move in and detonate things. Just make sure that you and Kisho shield yourselves from the initial blast. After that, we'll grab you two and the servant woman and get the hell out of here."

Byakuya nodded, but his eyes were guarded.

"But you know that won't be the end of it," he said quietly, "Aizen will throw everything at us to stop us from reaching home."

"Well, it won't do him a damn bit of good since we'll be using Urahara's garganta. We'll be out of here so quick, he won't know what hit him. I just wish we could take out that son of a bitch on the way out. He's been a fucking thorn in everyone's side for too many years…but no one knows what to do with him."

"Ah…too true," Byakuya agreed, "but maybe we are home again, you and I can think of a plan, ne?"

He considered his words a bit more carefully and sighed softly.

"What is it?" Renji asked, kissing a furrowed brow, "You moping again already?"

"No," the noble said quietly, "just realizing that things will be very different when we go home. I have lost my place in the Gotei 13…and the clan has moved on without me. I shall have to take steps immediately to regain my leadership…at least in the clan."

Renji met his eyes calmly.

"But not in the military?" he asked softly, "Because you know I'll stand aside. Squad Six is yours. I'm only in the position because I didn't want you to have to fight to get it back when you come home…"

"I know that, Renji. But…when I consider how quickly Soutaichou allowed me to be abandoned…I wonder how well I could serve them, knowing as I do now how little my service means to them."

"Yeah…" agreed the redhead, "I'm with you on that. I tried to cut them some slack while there were no signs you were alive. But once I had proof, I just couldn't forgive them for not helping to bring you home. And I don't know if I ever will. So…we may both be looking for something else when we go back…that is if I'm not just tossed into the Maggot's Nest for abandoning my duty to come and find you."

"If they attempt that, I will just use clan privilege to stop them."

"But you can only do that once you have regained leadership. I may be taken into custody before then…"

"You?" said Byakuya, raising an eyebrow, "I would be very disappointed in you if you allowed yourself to be caught, Abarai."

Renji chuckled softly.

"I _have_ managed to elude capture for quite a while, ne? Must be that not so wholesome Inuzuri upbringing…"

"Must be," the noble agreed, lacing their fingers together.

They fell silent, knowing how close they were to being separated, but not wanting to acknowledge it. And as the power of the band on his wrist activated and began to steal him back from his lover's arms, the two managed to exchange a single, very intense, parting kiss.

Byakuya felt a strong feeling of disorientation. He felt as though he had begun to fall and closed his eyes. His body seemed to have gone weightless except for the aching heaviness of heart that returned as he found himself again in Aizen Sousuke's bedroom. He stood just inside the room, near the window, facing the bed. Aizen sat up, blinking, but saying nothing as he observed the noble for a moment.

"So…" he said finally, "you have returned. I hope you are calmer now. Your reiatsu seems quiet enough. Why don't you go and shower? I can smell that dog's scent on you from here. You must not have left his arms the whole time you were with him. Go."

He said nothing in return, but quietly turned towards the bathroom and started the shower. He removed his yukata and stepped in under the warm water, hating that he had to wash away the comforting scent, but knowing better than to show it in any way. If he was going to escape, he had to let Aizen think he had won.

He closed his eyes and let the hot water run down his body, wondering in silence if his body would ever feel like it really belonged to him again. He knew it was just the long captivity wearing on him, but he couldn't quite push away the melancholy he felt in returning to Aizen after having spent the night in Renji's arms.

He almost jumped out of his skin when Aizen's hands suddenly touched him…

He was, of course, used to the leader of the hollows appearing suddenly and taking him sexually, but even as he was held under the hot spray and washed thoroughly, then pushed back against the wall, he managed to maintain the calm about him. He silently thanked Renji for helping to strengthen him, then opened his eyes and met the brown, inquisitive eyes of his captor.

"You are still thinking about him, aren't you?" Aizen said in a low voice.

Byakuya was surprised at the hurt in the usually cool, collected voice.

_It hurt him to let me go. Why? I thought that all he wanted was this baby…and the power it would give him over my clan…_

_But, he thought as Aizen moved closer and stared down into his eyes, they had been married for a long time…even if he had spent much of it unconscious…_

As his captor's mouth found his and Aizen's hands took hold of him, he felt the pent up emotion and knew he had to do something before the man's anger flared. So as the hardened lips moved against his, he softened his and kissed back. He stepped into the circle of Aizen's arms and let his head drop onto his husband's shoulder, their lips still touching. He felt sudden tension in the other man's body and gazed into his eyes quietly as they kissed again, then separated. He hated how it made him feel, but forced himself to say the words that would calm things between them. He had to, he reminded himself, if he ever wanted to see his home again.

"Arigato, Sousuke," he whispered, barely audible above the sound of the falling water, "It was…difficult…but I am grateful that Renji and I were finally allowed to say goodbye to each other."

He paused, letting his reiatsu flutter fitfully for a moment.

"You were…right. Once he knew you were successful in impregnating me…Renji no longer…"

He broke off and let the emotion rise inside him until a single tear fell. He was very aware of how closely Aizen was watching him, at the tension in the man's body and the intensity in his reiatsu. He continued to watch for several minutes, then wrapped his arms around Byakuya again and brought their faces close together.

"You will accept that you are mine now, ne?" he asked the noble, "You will not resist me anymore? No one is going to rescue you now…so you have no reason left to fight."

He placed a gentle hand on Byakuya's abdomen.

"But even as you accept having lost him, I hope you will realize that although that door has closed, another has opened, Byakuya."

He kissed the noble's frowning lips and took his face in both hands.

"You have resisted me for so long. Will you accept now that there is no other path and finally try to make yourself content here?" he asked.

Byakuya met his eyes wearily.

"It seems I have no choices anymore," he said in a trembling voice, "I have been abandoned by everyone I thought cared for me. I know better than to think you love me, Sousuke. Like those others, you have an agenda…and to you, I am a means to an end. But…I don't want to think about that anymore. It is too much of a weight to bear. I would just like to set it all aside."

He looked down at the band on his wrist.

"And I no longer wish to consider going back."

Aizen touched the band gently with a fingertip.

"Are you certain?" he asked quietly, "Because I will do as I said and allow you to return home once every six months."

Byakuya met his gaze squarely.

"Why would I want to torment myself seeing them again?" he asked bitterly, "It's not like before, when they had no idea I was alive, Sousuke. Those people I cared about abandoned me…knowingly. I…I never want to go back there."

He let his eyes drop and stood quietly, letting the water run down his body and waiting for some kind of response. The leader of the hollows hesitated, studying him carefully, then pulled him close and ran his fingers through the noble's thick, black hair.

"We have something in common then, Aizen Byakuya. Because they abandoned me as well. I had intelligence and power, but they acted as though it meant nothing because I wore a peasant's name. And now that you wear my peasant's name, they have forgotten you as well. But I will not forget you. Come, let us put this unpleasantness behind us. We have more compelling things to do than to think on their ridiculous attitudes any longer. Do not torment yourself. In a matter of months, we will welcome our child into the world…and once we do, then you and I will share a new beginning. We will take what once was a farce of a marriage and turn it into a genuine love affair, ne?"

He brushed away a second tear that had crept onto Byakuya's proud face. Byakuya shook his head slowly and looked away.

"I will never give my heart to anyone again," he said in a low voice, "I know better. Trust is for the unwary and love for the naïve. I have no need for either anymore. But I will stay with you. Our child needs a stable environment…"

He sighed, leaning into Aizen's embrace.

"At very least, he or she should know better than to put faith in the unfaithful…"

Aizen gave him a sympathetic smile and turned off the water. They left the shower and dried off, then moved out into the bedroom to dress. They left the room together and Aizen led him to the throne room, then surprised Byakuya by calling for Kisho and Hekima to be sent.

"What are you doing?" the noble asked quietly.

Guards appeared at the doorway, leading the boy and the servant woman into the room. Aizen looked down at them for a moment, then nodded to the lead guard.

"Take them out into the desert…near where you sensed the rogues. Abarai will scent his son and take him and that useless woman off of our hands. I have no more use for them."

He looked up at Byakuya's surprised expression, "I have all that I need right here."

Byakuya wanted to smile as his son was led away, out into the desert. He knew that Renji was watching and that Kisho would be safe. And now that Aizen no longer had the leverage that he used to, Byakuya planned to make his escape. The last obstacle, he thought, was the band on his wrist. It was the only thing standing between him and freedom now.

But it would not stand in his way for long…

At least, he hoped it would not…

He forced himself to look disinterested as Aizen quietly gazed at him.

"Are you all right?" his captor asked, laying a hand on his arm.

Byakuya nodded briefly and started to climb to his feet. He took a step and swayed unsteadily. Aizen smiled and placed an arm around him.

"It is likely just the pregnancy…" he suggested.

"Perhaps," said the noble, "but it seems as though this band is somehow interfering with me. In any case, I do not need it now anyway, as I am not returning to the Seireitei."

Aizen tilted his head slightly.

"Are you sure?" he asked, looking down at the band, "You could give it some thought. There must be one among them you would like to see on occasion."

"No," said Byakuya resolutely, "I have nothing to say to them."

The leader of the hollows smiled.

"Very well, then."

He rose from his seat in the throne room and took Byakuya's hands. The noble forced himself not to react as Aizen touched the band and it slowly disappeared. He took Byakuya's hand and laced their fingers together.

"Come," he said invitingly, "I would like to be with you."

Byakuya knew better than to hesitate. He sighed inwardly, thankful that he would soon be able to escape and would never have to feel Aizen's touch again. He walked solemnly at his husband's side, only half listening to Aizen's casual words. They reached the bedroom and passed inside, closing the door behind them.

"You must be missing Kisho, ne?" Aizen asked him, startling him.

"I cannot miss him so much," Byakuya replied, "I was not allowed to be a father to him…so…"

"But you were a friend to the boy…"

"Why does that matter?" Byakuya sighed as he was undressed and lowered onto the bed, "The boy barely knew me. He will forget me as easily as the rest of them did. I will not waste the effort, missing him."

Aizen's fingers stroked his face gently.

"You have become very cynical, Aizen Byakuya. I hope that as we move forward, you learn to trust again. I told you…I will not desert you."

"Yes," said Byakuya, "I have heard those words from many pretty mouths, Sousuke, but they have yet to prove true."

He closed his eyes as Aizen slowly prepared and entered him. The leader of the hollows paused with their bodies joined, touching Byakuya's face lightly and feeding him slow, lingering kisses. He thrust in deeply, smiling at the tightening of Byakuya's hands on his shoulders and the catching of breath. He slid a hand down between them, wrapping his fingers around the noble's length and caressing it in time with their movements. He was less than surprised at the empty look in the noble's eyes, but suddenly found himself wanting to make Byakuya smile. He brought his lips close to the noble's ear and thrust heavily into him.

"I know you are in pain because they abandoned you…and you think that I am just like them, but I will prove I am not. I will, Aizen Byakuya. I will make them pay for not respecting my powers…and I will make them pay for abandoning you…I promise. And that payment will begin very, very soon…"

Byakuya felt an odd chill pass through him at the words. But a moment later, pleasure overtook him and stole the feeling away. Hot seed burned onto his skin and Aizen's dark, unreadable eyes locked on his as heat flooded him inside as well. He tried to reassure himself that things would be all right now that Kisho had been freed…but there was something unsettling in Aizen's words…

"…_that payment will begin very, very soon…"_

He closed his eyes and rested calmly with Aizen still inside him. Weariness and worry overtook him and he drifted off.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Kisho and Hekima walked away from the guards and out into the desert. The boy sensed that the rogues were nearby and turned in their directions, leading Hekima along until a lone figure appeared in front of him. The man stepped forward, walking to him and stopping a few feet away. He looked down at Kisho with affectionate red-brown eyes and a smile rose on his lips._

_"Kisho…" he said softly._

_The boy stepped forward, closing the distance between them. As he did, an odd feeling passed over him and he seemed to lose awareness for a moment. When he regained his senses, he found himself staring into Abarai Renji's shocked eyes and his zanpakutou buried to the hilt in the rogue leader's body. Renji gave a strangled cry as the boy stepped back and tore the weapon free. Kisho's eyes glazed over and father and son collapsed onto the sand together. Hekima's voice rose into a shrill, panicked scream as rogues appeared everywhere around them. Then, as the rogues slowly realized what had happened, the screeches of hollows rose around them. Frantic hands lifted Renji and Kisho from the bloodied sand and turned them towards the encampment, but within moments, the rogues found themselves overwhelmed and running for their lives…_

Byakuya woke with a terrified cry, his heart racing as he reached out with his senses and felt Renji's reiatsu weakening. He stared in dismay at the man who sat up next to him, and wrapped his arms around him.

"What did you do?" Byakuya gasped, his eyes wide, "His reiatsu…I can't feel it anymore!"

Aizen smiled.

"I told you I would make them pay," he said calmly, "And Abarai Renji just paid for leaving you so callously. You see, before I sent Kisho to him, I used Kyouka Suigetsu to hypnotize the boy. He was programmed to attack as soon as he was close enough. He appears to have been successful."

Aizen studied Byakuya's stricken expression quietly for a moment.

"I thought that you no longer cared for him…"

"I…Sousuke…just because he left me…it didn't mean I wanted him to _die_! How…how could you? You _knew_ I was still in love with him!"

"Yes," said Aizen in a low voice, "Yes, I knew. I knew and I wanted him to pay for that. And now he has. Now, Abarai Renji has paid with his life…"

Byakuya stared at him for a moment longer, then tore away from him, scrambling into his clothes.

"What are you thinking that you are going to do?" Aizen asked, watching, "You cannot save him…"

"It's my fault…" Byakuya half-sobbed, "all of this is my fault! Renji is…dying…and Kisho! How could you do that to my son?"

He turned and flash stepped to the window, but was brought to his knees just short of it. Aizen's arms wrapped around him and a shock of kido incapacitated him.

"I know you are upset," he told Byakuya as the noble sank into darkness, "but it had to be done. Rest now. You will feel better after you have rested."

_I will never feel better…_

_Never…_

_And if Renji dies…_

_I will never feel anything again…_


	12. Web of Illusions

**Chapter 12: Web of Illusions**

Ichigo paused and turned in the middle of a flash step, staring as the garganta in the training room opened and bodies began to flash step and fall through, and onto the ground near where Kisuke had frozen.

"Sweet kami," hissed the shopkeeper as a bleeding Rukia fell through, carrying a young boy, then several men stumbled through, one of them carrying an unconscious and badly wounded Abarai Renji.

"Rukia!" gasped Ichigo, running to join her as she laid the unconscious boy on the ground next to where Renji was being placed.

"Get Orihime," Kisuke said shortly, dropping down next to Renji as Rukia forced herself to remain on her knees next to the boy, and began healing him, "Damn…and tell Tessai to get a privacy shield up over the shop. We're going to have secret mobile corps all over us…"

He looked at Rukia's pained face.

"What happened?" he asked, "because I know your rogue group wasn't the kind to get caught with their pants down…"

"It was a trap," Rukia said in a pained voice, "Renji sensed his and Byakuya's son, Kisho and a servant woman had been released into the desert. He went to bring them to our camp, but Aizen must have hypnotized the boy. All of a sudden, his face just went blank and he attacked Renji. As we picked up Renji and Kisho, we were attacked by something like half the hollows in Hueco Mundo. Aizen set us up…Kisuke…so many of our group died…"

Kisuke shook his head in disgust.

"…bastard always did know how to get a guy to lower his guard. I was pretty damned convinced Renji couldn't be caught off guard like that…but then…losing Byakuya like he did, did things to him."

He heaved a sigh of relief as Orihime dropped down into the training room.

"Here first!" he called, "Renji's in a bad way. Then we triage…"

As Orihime knelt next to Renji and raised her healing field, Kisuke moved on to the still unconscious youth and, tightening his lips, he sealed the boy's powers away and used kido to hold him in place.

"Kisuke…" Rukia said in a low voice.

"Hey…" the shopkeeper said softly, touching his fingertips to the boy's forehead to ensure he remained asleep, "I'll let him loose _after_ we make sure that Aizen didn't program him for any other terminations. I'll keep him under until it's done, so I don't traumatize him. Just, while we wait, I don't want any surprises, ne?"

He lifted the boy into his arms as Tessai dropped down into the room.

"The shield is up now," Tessai said, gazing at the boy in Kisuke's arms.

"Good," said Kisuke, "Stay here and help Orihime and Ichigo to treat the wounded. It's pretty bad. Aizen must have set half his army on these guys. I'd say only about half of Renji's rogue group came back alive…and most of the survivors are injured. I'm thinking that means Aizen stopped playing games and is about to get serious. As soon as everyone's treated and we get them to the safe houses, I'll send a hell butterfly to Soutaichou to tell him what happened. Maybe this will get Central 46 off its ass and they'll actually want to do something to get Byakuya out of Aizen's hands…cause I'm betting that whatever plan he's getting ready to spring…has something to do with his pretty noble hostage. I don't know why he chose now to flex his muscles, but I guess we'll find out soon, ne?"

"I am sure we will," Tessai agreed.

Kisuke carried Kisho up and out of the training room, then through the shop and into the hallway. He turned into his laboratory and set the boy on an examination table, then sat down next to Kisho and smiled down at him.

"Cute kid," he mused, "No denying who your folks are, ne? Don't worry about a thing, kiddo. I've deprogrammed a few people who ran afoul of Aizen and his Kyouka Suigetsu. You'll be your old self in no time…"

_Just hope the kid doesn't remember nearly taking out his own dad…_

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya woke to find himself secluded in the tower he had been placed in during the years he had lain unconscious. He sat up slowly, looking around the room and remembering the last time he had been there.

_He laid in the silent darkness, with no sense of time's passage, feeling only relief at maintaining distance from the one he despised…and locked away from the heavy ache of loss that battered his heart. In this place, he waited for that whisper of hope, that single touch that would free him. And finally, inexplicably, it arrived._

_A small hand touched his, and brought him back out of the darkness, raised him back into life and awareness. And as his senses cleared and his eye fell on the one who had freed him, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of wild red hair, wide gray eyes and the touch of a reiatsu he had thought he might never feel again. It stunned him that the baby he had known was now a boy…and that years must have passed with him lying and waiting…_

"K-kisho…"

Byakuya felt an ache in his heart, knowing that the boy had been freed only to have him attack Renji and loose a deadly trap on the rogue shinigamis who had committed themselves to his rescue. He remembered again the return of the Espada who had led the attack.

"_The pests have been eradicated," the hollow reported, "The boy took down the leader and our attack devastated them."_

"_Did you kill them all?"_

"_No, Aizen-sama, they managed to open a garganta and some escaped."_

"_Do you have Abarai Renji's body?"_

"_A thousand pardons, Aizen-sama, the ones who ran took him and the boy."_

"_That is all right. You broke the back of the rogue group. Now, we only need wait until our child is born and we will move forward with the domination of the Kuchiki Clan."_

_Aizen turned to face him._

_"So you see, Byakuya," he said quietly, "All pathways home have been obliterated. Even if he survives, Renji and the few others left will have to dodge the secret mobile corps and rebuild their numbers before returning here. And by the time they are strong enough to attack…it will be too late. I will have the Kuchiki Clan by the throat…and it will only be a short step to destroy the noble families and kill the king."_

He barely remembered attacking the leader of the hollows. Held back by the limiter, he had been easily overpowered and rendered unconscious.

_And he brought me here to be confined, because with the rogue group gone and no rescue on the horizon, all he must do is wait for this child to be born. I must escape before that happens. Because once the child is born, my deception will be revealed and I won't even consider what he would do to me then._

He climbed out of the bed and searched the tower carefully, noting the heavy shielding around it, the too-small openings cut into the strong rock. Nothing short of his full power would break through, but it would be months before he reached full power…and by then it would be too late. Aizen would have what he wanted.

_If only I had my full powers…_

The door opened behind him and he turned to see Aizen standing across the room from him. The leader of the hollows frowned at the sight of the thin yukata, and the noble's bare feet.

"You will freeze to death so poorly dressed," he said reprovingly, "At least wear the robe and slippers I left if you must insist on leaving your bed. You have nothing to gain by not taking care of yourself."

"Why have you come?" Byakuya asked as Aizen flash stepped across the room and turned him back towards the bed.

"Gin is coming to examine you to see how you are progressing. Lie down."

Sighing resignedly, Byakuya dropped down on the bed. A moment later, the silver-haired shinigami stepped into the room and moved forward to begin the examination.

"He is progressing normally," Gin reported, "and the child is in perfect health. The reiatsu is very strong…rivaling Kisho's, I believe."

"Of course our child will outstrip that whelp's power," Aizen said, matter-of-factly, "The bloodlines are much more powerful between us."

His head bowed slightly in thought and his brow furrowed.

"Gin…how are you doing with that module you were working on?" he asked.

"Oh…that?" Gin answered, closing Byakuya's yukata and looking up, "I think it is ready for use. Perhaps one more test…"

"Then we will use it now."

Gin's eyes widened.

"Shouldn't we conduct a trial on…?"

"No," said Aizen, resolutely, "We are short on time. The rogues have been defeated, but if Renji survives or if the Kuchiki Clan gets their hands on Byakuya's heir too soon, things could destabilize. We have to risk using it."

"What are you talking about?" Byakuya asked, frowning, "What are you going to do?"

Aizen met his eyes calmly.

"I am going to speed things up. You are not due for several more months…so those who hear of the devastation of Renji's fighting unit may be encouraged to attack me. Before they do, I must capture control of your clan. Ideally, I would wait for our child to grow normally…but with Gin's module and a bit of help from Kyouka Suigetsu, we can force your body to progress at an accelerated rate. And once the child is born, we can age him or her appropriately to seek clan leadership."

Byakuya's eyes widened in distress.

"No! You cannot think to tamper with our physical nature in such a way!" he objected.

"I am confident that the side effects will be minimal…"

"But you don't _know_ they will be! Sousuke, this is reckless and unnecessary. Do not do this!"

"I see you are determined to give me trouble, ne?" Aizen said as Byakuya rolled to his feet and backed away from his spouse, "Come now, Byakuya. I would not risk you or our child frivolously. Come along quietly now. Don't make me use force. I don't wish to hurt you."

Byakuya continued to back away, until he was stopped by the touch of solid rock against his back.

"I see," Aizen said, closing in, "Well then, if you are determined to make this difficult…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji groaned and forced his eyes open, fury raking his body with nearly as much force of the freshly healed wound in his abdomen.

"Damn it!" he hissed, sitting up and gasping at the intrusion of residual pain, "That son of a bitch!"

"Renji!" Rukia's voice said, making his head snap around.

It took his eyes a moment to fully clear.

"Rukia…where is…Kisho? Is he…all right?"

"Of course he's all right, baka!" the young woman said reprovingly, "Kisuke just took him to the lab to make sure that Aizen didn't leave us any other surprises. He checked out the servant woman, Hekima, too. Both are fine. He was waiting to wake Kisho until you were…"

She broke off as the redhead surged to his feet, then bent forward, grabbing his midsection and grunting in pain.

"What are you doing, you stupid fool? Lie down! You've only just been healed!"

"Oh…and do you think that's what Aizen Sousuke will be doing? Think about it, Rukia. He held on to Byakuya and Kisho all of this time…and he played tag with our fighting unit. He wasn't serious, because he wasn't ready to move forward. Obviously, if he tried to kill me with such a maneuver…and he threw so much force at us, he's about to do something. He said he wanted all of these years to make Byakuya have his kid…and now he thinks Byakuya is pregnant with his child."

"But why would he do that, unless…"

"He's going after the Kuchiki Clan. It makes sense, too. If he wants to kill the king, he has to severely weaken the forces that protect him. He already deprived the Gotei 13 of four taichous, including Byakuya. And if he gains control of the Kuchiki Clan, then he could start decimating the noble clans as well."

"So what are we to do?" asked Rukia, "Doesn't he have to wait until Byakuya's baby is born?"

"You would think so," said Renji, "but something inside me is saying that it's dangerous to make that assumption. I really think we have to move quickly."

"What do you mean? What are you going to do?" Rukia asked as he pulled away from her and started out of the bedroom, still holding a hand to the bandaged area on his abdomen.

"I'm taking Kisho and we're going to the Kuchiki Clan!" Renji said angrily, "They will _have_ to listen to us now!"

"Oh…if you're going to insist on going, I'm going too!"

"Of course you're going," Renji said, looking amused, "How else will I get in the building without having to get into a fight?"

"Baka!" Rukia chuckled, moving closer to him and giving him a shoulder to lean on, "You are out of your mind. I should make you get back in that bed and rest."

"You should, but you know how much success you'd have. Forget it, Kuchiki. As long as I'm your taichou, you do what I say!"

"Yeah, right…whatever…I still say you're an idiot!"

"Yeah, well this idiot is about to put his life on the line to save your pretty brother, so shut up and help me to wherever Kisuke has my kid stashed."

"Okay, fine," Rukia said, helping him out into the hallway, "but watch out. I hear the kid's good with his blade. I heard he scored a pretty good hit on a taichou!"

"I said, shut up, Kuchiki!" Renji snapped, "Shut up and get me to Kisho."

"Temper, temper, Taichou," Rukia laughed, "Don't bust your stitches. We're almost there."

She led him into a room, where Kisho lay sleeping in a comfortable bed. Rukia held back as Renji sat down next to the boy and looked down at him. He smiled at the bright silver tipped red hair and at the silver markings over his nose and over each delicate, Byakuya-like eyebrow. He saw tracings of Byakuya and of himself everywhere and smiled more widely as warmth flooded his heart. He touched the boy's face and focused, raising his consciousness until the silver-edged gray eyes opened and cautiously met his. The boy caught his breath and stared up at the rebel leader who had been his idol all of the years of his servitude in Hueco Mundo.

"Abarai…Renji?" he whispered.

Renji slipped a hand into his.

"Yeah…nice to finally meet you…Kisho. Byakuya told me about you."

"You spoke to Byakuya-san?" the boy said, sitting up too quickly, then reeling.

Renji put a steadying arm around him. Kisho blinked several times and looked around him.

"We're not in Las Noches anymore?" he asked, noticing Rukia standing near the door, watching.

He blinked again and his eyes took on a haunted look.

"Abarai-sama…I…I…oh…!" he gasped, staring at the bandages on Renji's body.

"It's okay, kid," Renji assured him, "I know it was Aizen and his bastard zanpakutou. Don't get all upset. It's okay."

He broke off as an old woman entered the room. She froze, staring at Renji and Kisho, then broke into a lovely smile.

"Kisho…you have finally…and Abarai-sama…this is wonderful!"

"Hekima-san!" Kisho said excitedly, "You escaped too! Oh, thank goodness!"

Renji met the boy's eyes again, wearing a serious expression.

"Kisho," he said, "it is good that you and Hekima are free of that place, but there is something that you and I have to do. Aizen is going to attack the Kuchiki Clan, and it is up to you and me to warn them. Are you up to going with me?"

"B-but…the Kuchiki Clan? Is it because of Byakuya-san? Does he want Byakuya-san back now that you rescued him?"

Renji's face fell, but he quickly composed himself.

"Kisho, before we go to talk to the clan elders, there is something that you need to know…something that Aizen wouldn't allow Byakuya to tell you."

"What is it?" Kisho asked, looking from Renji, to Rukia and Hekima.

Hekima stepped forward.

"You remember, Kisho-kun that I told you many stories about Abarai-sama and his beautiful Byakuya? I did that because, even though Byakuya-sama was never allowed to tell you…he knew. We both knew. We knew and we could do nothing about it for as long as you were in Las Noches."

"But now that you are here," Rukia said, stepping forward and placing a hand on Renji's shoulder, "it's time for Renji to tell you…"

"You aren't just some servant…for Aizen and his freak hollows to order around," Renji said proudly, "You are a shinigami…and not just any shinigami. You are Byakuya's son and mine…and you are the heir to the Kuchiki Clan. You have to come with me, because when they see you, they will listen to us and help us. My fighting group was defeated by the hollows and we need help to stand up to Aizen. You can make the Kuchiki Clan listen and help us."

"M-me?" stammered the stunned boy, "Why would they listen to me? Why doesn't Byakuya-sama just…"

"We couldn't save Byakuya," Renji said solemnly, "Aizen still has him in Las Noches."


	13. Lies Upon Lies

**Chapter 13: Lies Upon Lies**

Gin watched with shadowed eyes and a small frown as Aizen cornered Byakuya and began to reach for him. An odd, sick feeling passed through him as one pale arm wrapped itself protectively around the noble's midsection and the other rose in protest to hold his attacker away. And then, he saw something he had never seen before. He had seen Byakuya calm, stern, angry…and after his capture, depressed, sad and torn, but in all of the time that the noble had been with them, Gin had never seen him as he was now.

There had always been courage…

courage built on hope.

But with Abarai Renji injured, maybe dead and the rogues defeated, the noble was truly alone and unprotected. And as Aizen approached and the danger to his unborn child became inevitable, for the first time he could remember, Byakuya looked…completely desperate…absolutely terrified…and bereft of hope. His palm set itself against Aizen's breast and the dark eyes went wide and black. And the words that issued from his trembling lips left him without any bit of pride he might have had left.

"Please, Sousuke…don't. I will…I will do…anything. Just…"

The pale form was jolted with a sudden disruptive kido and the words stopped. The smoky eyes glazed over and closed, and the noble slowly collapsed into his husband's arms.

"Disgraceful…" muttered Aizen, looking equally sickened, "You should be glad I stopped you when I did. Where is your pride?"

Gin's frown deepened as he suffered sudden flashes of memory. It hadn't bothered him so much at the start. Byakuya had never liked him, nor had they exchanged much more than clipped verbal barbs. So he hadn't thought much of going along with Aizen's plan to imprison and impregnate the Kuchiki clan leader. He rather liked the idea of seeing Byakuya taken down a few pegs…but having a front seat to Aizen's cruelty as he toyed with the noble, opened Gin's eyes to the fact that Aizen Sousuke toyed with everyone…and he enjoyed doing so. He was incredibly adept at searching out his enemy's weakness and exploiting it. It hadn't been a problem for Gin so much at first…but as he watched Byakuya suffer the loss of his son…as he watched the formerly strong taichou collapse inward and become incapacitated with grief…and through it all, Aizen Sousuke only showed concern for how his plans were progressing…how soon he would get what he wanted…

It made him both sick inside and angry.

Perhaps that was why as Kisho had grown, he had developed a soft spot for the boy. And although the boy had been taken away from Las Noches and was now likely safe with relatives, Byakuya had another young life to protect.

He wondered when he had begun to care so much.

But as Byakuya's plea echoed in his mind and he watched the noble's attempts to stop Aizen fail, his body to fall…Gin forced out a breath and sucked in another. And when he spoke, he was careful not to let any emotion into his words. Showing emotion was dangerous, after all…and showing rebellious emotion would be swiftly punished.

"I don't know why you are going to such lengths," he said off-handedly, "It's not as though they could take on all of your forces and win, anyway. You would be better off just leaving him be and not causing him so much stress. Too much of that and he could miscarry."

Aizen lifted a curious eyebrow.

"Showing sympathy for the enemy, Gin? How charitable of you."

"Enemy?" queried Gin coyly, "I thought he was your life partner, your mate. I thought he ceased to be an enemy the moment he agreed to marry you. Isn't that what you said? You show shockingly little concern over your family. I just said that the module needs more testing…and yet you would use it on your own offspring? Excuse me for being a bit stunned. And may I be frank…it leaves one wondering if you truly care about them at all."

"Of course I do. I cannot gain control of Byakuya's clan if the child does not survive…and I cannot create powerful, lovely heirs without Byakuya."

"Will you listen to yourself, Sousuke? All you talk about is what you'll gain from having them…and not a word of any affection, any real emotion at all. I wonder. Are you even capable of falling in love? I don't think so…and that is why Byakuya will always reject you. You won't win him over with selfishness."

"I don't have to win him over."

"But you do seem to want to keep him, ne?" asked Gin, "What is your intention after your heirs are made? Will you simply discard him? Kill him?

"No, of…"

"You see, what you just did sends the message that you would."

Aizen frowned.

"He doesn't think that."

"Oh I assure you, he reads you like a book…otherwise he wouldn't have become so desperate just now. If I were you, I would offer him something to work with…something to encourage him that you won't hurt him or your offspring. Do that, and now that he is completely isolated, you may be able to overcome his resistance.

"You think so?" Aizen asked, considering.

_Kami, does he really not understand something so basic as give and take? Poor Byakuya…_"

"I think I understand what you mean," Aizen went on, "I need to be willing to negotiate some things…to balance what I need with some of his desires."

"Something like that…" said Gin, sighing, "So you'll reconsider?"

"Well…if you really think it will help…come along, Gin," Aizen said, lifting the unconscious noble and starting towards the door.

"What?" said the silver-haired shinigami, "Where are we going?"

"To use the module, of course."

Gin gazed at him for a moment and shook his head ruefully.

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" he asked.

"Of course I did," answered Aizen, matter-of-factly, "I have decided to meet him halfway. After all, if I am legally married to Byakuya and we have a legitimate heir, then Kisho is not an issue. Byakuya and Abarai were never married. Their child is a bastard, and not in line to inherit clan leadership. So…it isn't really necessary to age the child once born. But I do need to have the heir born before we make our move."

"Then, I suggest that, to make it safer, we use the module twice…at half strength each time. If the first use works out, then we can give him a few days, then use it again."

Aizen tilted his head, considering.

"That does seem a safer course…and I do want to be as safe as possible about this. Also, if it may make Byakuya more receptive, it would be better than living out the rest of my days enjoying only hateful glares or mindless submission."

"Ah there, you see?" said Gin, grinning, "Now that sounds more like compromise. Now mind you, Byakuya has not seen you act with much compassion and will likely be suspicious at first. You should not let that rile you. He will know just exactly how sincere you are if you show him with your actions."

"Very well…come then. We need to get this unpleasantness over with."

Gin sighed and joined him as the leader of the hollows carried Byakuya down from the tower and turned toward the laboratory.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Byakuya-sama…is still in Las Noches?" Kisho repeated, not wanting to believe the words, "Abarai-sama, he told me that when we reached you that you would not leave without him."

"Kisho…we didn't want to, but Aizen set a trap for us. He used you to injure me, then set the hollows on the rest of my unit. There was nothing they could do. They were outnumbered and being overwhelmed. The only thing we could do was to come back here and rebuild our strength. We are going to need more firepower if we are going to save him. And that's a problem, because when I refused to stop trying to get Byakuya away from Aizen, I broke the rules of Central 46 and became kind of an outlaw."

He stopped, staring at the guilt-ridden expression that had appeared on the boy's face when he mentioned how Kisho had been used to injure him. He slipped a hand under the boy's chin and brought Kisho's eyes to his.

"Don't do that, son. Don't blame yourself. You have lived all of your life in Las Noches. You know Aizen's ways. You had no control over what happened, so don't think of it like you hurt me. I can tell by looking at you that you would never do that. I can see that you trusted me, even not knowing I'm your father…and I could tell by the way that you talked about Byakuya that you love him. Now, relax a minute while you can. We are going to have to go to the Seireitei soon."

He turned his head slightly.

"Kuchiki fukutaichou, will you tell Yoruichi that we need to use the Shihoin family senkaimon to sneak into the Seireiei?"

"Kuchiki?" whispered Kisho, "She is…?"

"Byakuya's younger sister and my best friend, Rukia. She is your aunt."

Rukia smiled at the boy.

"It's nice to meet you, Kisho."

The boy smiled.

"Aunt…Rukia?" he repeated, "It's nice to meet you too."

He extended a hand in greeting, but was met with a warm hug. Renji grinned.

"She's not as stuffy as those other nobles you will meet, because she was adopted by the Kuchiki family after Byakuya's wife, Hisana, died."

He watched as Rukia flash stepped out of the room.

"You'll be meeting a lot of relatives today, Kisho. They might not all welcome you, so stay close to me and let me do the talking unless they directly ask you questions."

"Hai, Abarai-sama," the boy said obediently.

"And stop freaking calling me that! Nobody calls me Abarai-sama. It's Renji or Dad…end of story. The only 'sama' around here is Byakuya, because that's what the clan members call him."

"Okay…Dad," Kisho said, his eyes widening as he studied Renji more closely.

Renji smiled, remaining silent and watchful as the boy's eyes took in the tall, muscular body, tanned skin and black tribal markings. He marveled that all of the strength that Hekima had said he had was still there, despite him having been injured just a short time before.

"It's…hard to b-believe," Kisho said finally, "I always heard stories…and Hekima told me about your markings. She said that they were put there by your zanpakutou. Is that true?"

Renji nodded.

"Yeah, Zabimaru," he said, taking the sword from its sheath and sending the blade into shikai, "He makes a new marking every time I grow stronger."

Kisho stared at the blade wide-eyed.

"There are even more of them now, because of how strong I had to get to fight to reach Byakuya…and I need to be stronger still."

"Can I…see more of them?" asked the boy.

"Sure," Renji said, standing and baring himself to the waist.

Kisho gasped at the intricate pattern that raced down his neck, shoulders, back and abdomen. The bandages from his injury still obscured many, but Kisho was stunned at just how beautiful they were.

"I see that your zanpakutou has marked you as well, ne?" Renji said proudly, "I was there the day you got your shikai, watching. It was amazing, Kisho. You are going to be one hell of a fighter one day. And you will need to be. You are going to be the Kuchiki Clan leader after Byakuya."

Kisho stared speechlessly at the redhead, not knowing what to say. Renji laughed softly and slipped his top back into place, then put his arm around the boy and pulled him close. His eyes looked down into Kisho's and Kisho could feel the immense power behind them.

"No wonder," Kisho whispered.

"Huh?" Renji queried, frowning for a moment.

"No wonder Byakuya-sama fell in love with you," the boy said softly, "You are just like Hekima described you in her stories."

Renji's eyes took on a sad, wistful look that startled the boy.

"Kid, if I was that great then Byakuya would never have been taken. I got stronger after losing him to Aizen…but…I have to get even stronger if we are going to get him back. And I'm going to need your help. As soon as that senkaimon is ready, we have to go to the Kuchiki Clan and get them to help us. We need more power so we can bust into that place and take him back."

"I'm ready," said Kisho, placing a hand on his own weapon, "I will fight hard too, just like you."

Renji's eyes darkened for a moment, then he smiled gently and put a hand on Kisho's blade.

"Kid, these are powerful killers we are facing. Your powers are going to be very strong too, someday, but for now, you have to let the grown ups do the fighting. You can help me convince the Kuchiki Clan to assist us…but when we go back for Byakuya, you will be staying here with Kisuke."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya woke suddenly, disoriented and with a heavy feeling in his abdomen. He turned and rolled off of the examination table, his eyes wide and panicked and flash stepped, nearly running into a wall, then staggering and nearly falling before Gin's hands took hold of him.

"Easy there, Byakuya-san. You should still be…"

He broke off as Byakuya began to struggle, his eyes glazed and his speech oddly distorted and weak.

"L-let g-go."

Gin sighed and shook his head.

"If I let go of you, then you will only fall onto the floor…and that could injure you and your baby while you are in such a state. Really, let me help you back to bed."

"Y-you…have to…help me…" the noble panted, "He's going to…"

He trailed off, staring down at his thickened abdomen and shaking harder.

"G-gin…is my b-baby…?"

"The baby is fine, Byakuya-san…but if you want your child to stay that way, then you must lie down. You are going to worsen things. Your reiatsu is becoming dangerously unstable."

Despite his panicked condition, the noble, forced himself to calm and started towards the examination table, then stopped and tried to pull away.

"Oh, bother, what is it now, Byakuya-san?"

"You'll put the restraints on…"

Gin gazed at him for a moment.

"No. I will leave them off…as long as you behave yourself and don't get up again. It's no skin off my nose. You wouldn't get far if you did try to run, and I'll wager you care too much for your child to run from Sousuke now, while there is no garganta to take you out of Hueco Mundo."

He sensed the noble's next request before it sounded in his ears and swallowed hard.

"Gin," the noble said in a soft, desperate voice, "you can open a garganta."

"No. Don't even go there," he said shortly.

"You know this is wrong!" Byakuya insisted, his eyes flaring, "He's going to kill my baby and probably me along with him. I know that you have mixed feelings about Aizen. You have for a long time! Kisho told me that you were kind to him, and some of the things you said. Please, don't let him hurt my baby. Help me out of here. I will get you a pardon, whatever you want from the Kuchiki Clan! Just…don't let him…"

"I am sorry, Byakuya-san," Gin said quietly, "I may agree that he is taking this too far, but I am not going to risk being put on his hit list just to save you."

He flinched at the look of devastation in the noble's eyes. He had never imagined Byakuya going to pieces…but then, the situation was desperate…and becoming worse by the moment. As if to punctuate the thought, Byakuya sagged in his arms and dropped to the floor, wrapped his arms around his distended abdomen and let the tears run down his face, his body shaking with silent sobs.

"I c-can't do this anymore, Gin," he whispered, "I have nothing left to fight him with."

Gin dropped down and knelt next to him, meeting the dark, wet eyes for a moment and nodding briefly.

"You _are_ an absolute mess, Byakuya-san," he said, brushing the tears away, "I give you that. But you are not defeated yet. You will know when you are, because at that point you will die. You are not dead yet, so there is still some hope, ne?"

"What hope?" Byakuya said softly, "There is no one anywhere near here who will help me. Renji is…hurt. The rogue group is decimated…and my clan and Central 46 refuse to believe I am alive. So tell me, where is that hope?"

"It is nearer than you think," Gin whispered back, "Hold yourself together, and don't do anything stupid like running now and getting yourself killed. When the moment is right, you will know what to do."

He leaned closer and touched Byakuya's wrist.

"You know," he said, touching the limiter, "the reiatsu fluctuations from the use of the module are making it difficult to read this limiter. Interesting how moving forward in time seems to have affected its abilities to clearly monitor how the module may have affected the return of your powers…"

Byakuya stared for a moment, then something unspoken passed between the two. The noble accepted the silver-haired shinigami's hand and stood slowly. He climbed back onto the examination table and rested quietly as Gin checked his vital signs and then placed both hands on his abdomen.

"Your baby's reiatsu is settling somewhat. It does not appear that any harm was done. Now, if you relax and get some sleep, both of you should improve quickly."

Byakuya nodded silently, his eyes growing guarded again as Aizen entered the room. The leader of the hollows studied the noble's expression and touched his face lightly.

"What is this? Tears? What is wrong, Byakuya?" he asked.

"What is wrong?" the noble repeated in a choked voice, "I am still here…and you are still breathing…that is what's wrong."

Aizen leaned forward and kissed Byakuya's frowning lips.

"Truly, I am relieved to see that you and our baby were not harmed. I am sorry, Byakuya. I was unnecessarily harsh with you before. I have decided that it is only necessary to age the fetus to the point of birth. After that, I will allow him or her to grow normally. You are right. To have forced our child to grow at an accelerated rate could have harmed him or her. And I do not want that."

"Yes," Byakuya said in a soft voice laced with sarcasm, "If you lost the child, then you would have no bargaining chip."

Aizen slipped his fingers beneath the noble's chin and gazed into the dark, wounded eyes.

"Do you truly think that I only see our baby as a bargaining chip, Byakuya?" he asked quietly.

"Don't you? Isn't that why you are taking such chances with our lives?"

"I had to risk this because if I do not move quickly, your newly escaped son will get to the Kuchiki Clan and set himself up as heir. I assure you, I am only doing this because it is necessary. Once I secure a chokehold on the clan, I will be able to be more accommodating. I will again offer you the option of seeing them…as before. I actually think it might lift your spirits to feel you still have a connection with them."

"And why do you care at all about me? I am only useful until this baby is born, and then we both know you will kill me. At some point, you must kill me to assert your authority and to place our child as heir."

Aizen sighed and shook his head.

"I told you. I am not going to kill you."

"And why would I believe that for one moment?" Byakuya asked, looking into Aizen's calm, brown eyes, "You do nothing that doesn't benefit you somehow."

"Usually, yes. I will be honest and admit to my selfishness," acknowledged Aizen, "but I am not going to keep you alive to force anything else from you. I will take you to the spirit dimension with me when I kill the king and we will live together in the palace. We are married, after all, and I would eventually like it to be a source of contentedness to both of us."

Byakuya's frown deepened.

"The only thing that will make me content is to see you executed," he said bitterly.

His eyes widened with shock as Aizen kissed him again and smiled.

"I am truly relieved," he said softly, "to see that you are finding your fighting spirit again, my love. I was worried for you…"

"Bastard…" Byakuya hissed softly as Aizen turned and left the room.

He looked down at the limiter on his wrist and steeled himself to wait.

_But the moment I sense them…,_ he promised himself, _I will shatter this damned limiter and free myself. I never thought Gin would help me…not ever. I would be tempted to call it pity, but there is something else behind his eyes. I think he is hiding something…from me…from Aizen…from everyone. And that is why he helped me. That's why he is helping me to hide the fact that the use of the module also sped up the return of my powers…_

_I am almost strong enough now…_


	14. The Anniversary

**Chapter 14: The Anniversary**

Byakuya stood alone in the one garden that existed in Hueco Mundo, breathing in the soft scent of the few sakura trees that grew in the atrium room, the flowers that dotted the grass and lined the walkways, and the fresh scent of the water that splashed down the stone waterfall in the center of the room.

He rubbed his thickened abdomen, quietly remembering the six months when he had been allowed contact with Kisho, and he had brought the infant to sit in the atrium under the stars, where he would tell the boy stories, even though he knew the boy was too young to understand. Kisho had gurgled happily and dozed off to the sound of his voice. And Byakuya had been able to remind himself of the thousands of stories he had read in the Kuchiki family archive while training to become clan leader. He had also defied Aizen's rules and spoken to the baby Kisho of Renji, of their home in the Seireitei, and of all of the things he feared he would forget as the days and weeks of his captivity turned into months and years.

Tears welled up in his eyes thinking of how many years it had been since he had set foot in his own home, that even if he went back, there was another leader at the manor, and how it would feel strange waking up anywhere but in Aizen Sousuke's bed. He blinked and brushed the tears away, telling himself that his melancholy would do no good, but needing to shed tears anyway, if not for all he and Renji had lost, then because the chemical changes affecting his body had sped up because of the use of the time module to age his baby.

He swallowed hard and tried to push down his fears about what the procedure could have done to his and Renji's child. Gin had assured him that the child had not suffered any ill effects, but despite knowing that, he couldn't help feeling stabs of concern over it. His emotions about everything seemed to be out of control. He felt tears rising in his eyes, then caught his breath as a hand touched his shoulder and then slid down to rub his protruding abdomen. He turned away abruptly, shivering at the feel of Aizen's hands touching him.

"Come now, that's no way to act…especially today."

"What are you talking about?" Byakuya whispered, blinking back his tears.

"It's New Years Eve tonight, Byakuya, the celebration of our Anniversary."

_The night Kisho was born… The night our dreams were supposed to come true._

_Instead, the years have been nothing but one long drawn out nightmare._

"Sousuke, why do you speak of this as though we had a real marriage?" Byakuya asked numbly, "After all of this time, has it not reached you that I am never going to love you? Does anything I feel even matter to you? You took nearly ten years of my life from me, my relationship with Renji, my child. Why would I ever look at you with anything but hatred?"

Aizen turned him and captured his face in both hands. He gazed deeply into the noble's dark eyes and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I had hoped, at first, that we would conceive quickly, and that you would embrace caring for our child, and you would learn to accept your place here," the leader of the hollows explained, "but when that did not happen and you tried to escape, I decided that the best way to punish you was to leave you with your memories. I could have relieved you of them a long time ago. I could have forced you to love me. I still can. And now that you are having _my_ child, it does seem that I have to do something. You see, if I leave you like this, so angst-ridden, so bitter, you will poison our child's mind."

"Sousuke…"

He kissed the noble again harder and held him tightly in place as Byakuya tried to pull away.

"I won't allow it. So…as my gift to you for our anniversary…for the beginning of our family together, I will offer you the gift of having back your peace of mind."

"No!" Byakuya hissed, backing away, "Sousuke, no!"

"Shh," Aizen whispered, placing a hand on his zanpakutou, "I want so much to make you happy…to see you smile when you think of me…to see you embrace having our baby. For so long, you have suffered, and I was wrong to let it go. You couldn't help how much you wanted to be with Renji. I shouldn't have been so angry over that…especially because I could have ended it long ago. It was my pride, my vanity that made me hold onto that anger, but no more, Byakuya. There will be no more of it. We will be happy together. Just relax, now. Let everything fall away. Do not resist."

Byakuya stepped back, but Aizen moved with him, raising his blade as the noble's back touched a tree and he froze.

"Sousuke," said Gin, suddenly, from the doorway, "Byakuya's latest test results have been completed. You asked me to tell you when they were done."

"And?" Aizen said, holding Byakuya in place against the tree and looking back at Gin, "Go ahead. Byakuya will want to hear this too."

"Well…the baby is still healthy, for now."

"What do you mean, for now?" Aizen asked, touching Byakuya's face gently to calm the rising worry in his eyes.

"I have told you before that because we have used the module, he is more susceptible to difficulties."

"Yes?"

"And he is under to much stress. The baby is healthy now, but it will not remain so if he is not made more comfortable within his situation."

Aizen smiled.

"Exactly what I am planning to do right now."

"What?" asked Gin.

"I am going to ease Byakuya's troubled mind," he said, stroking the noble's cheek, "If he forgets everything but me and our baby, then he will have no reason to be conflicted."

"Ah," said Gin, reaching out and placing a restraining hand on Kyouka Suigetsu, "but doing that would cause him stress. Any use of powers on him would."

"Well, what am I to do?" Aizen asked, slipping as arm around the noble, "I do not want him to be in torment anymore. I don't think the stress would be too great."

"But…"

"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

Byakuya's eyes went wide and unfocused as Aizen's bored deeply down into them. He felt fear grip him tightly for a moment, sending a hard shock through him, then his legs collapsed beneath him and he slid to the ground. Aizen held him close and dropped to his knees, holding Byakuya against him and whispering softly in his ear.

"That's right. Let everything else go. Nothing else will exist for you but us and our baby. You see…it is such a relief not to have all of that grief and anger burdening your heart, Byakuya. It is very simple. I love you…and now you will love me in return. Now…kiss me, my lover, my spouse. Give me a kiss that says you want me as much as I want you. And we'll be happy together from now on. I promise you."

He lowered his lips to meet Byakuya's and smiled as the man he held not only accepted his kiss, but kissed him back.

"Leave us, Gin," Aizen said, lowering the pregnant shinigami onto his back.

"Oh that's not a good idea…" Gin tried to object.

He was interrupted as Byakuya made a sound of pain and clutched his abdomen.

"You see," said Gin, "I tried to tell you. The stress is not good for the baby. You shouldn't have done that."

"He was under too much stress anyway," Aizen said, frowning, "We merely need to coax him through this and then we can use the module again and deliver the baby."

"Are you delirious?" Gin asked, shaking his head, "Sousuke…"

"Be quiet!" Aizen snapped, "and help me get Byakuya to the infirmary."

XXXXXXXXXX

Twelve proud pairs of eyes rose in surprise as the doors to the meeting chamber of the Kuchiki Council of Elders were blown off the hinges. Renji flash stepped into the center of the room, freezing with Kisho held against him and twelve deadly sharp blades pointed at his throat. Renji's eyes met the Kuchiki clan leader's and the other man's eyes widened with understanding.

"Stand down!" he said, sternly, stepping back and lowering his sword, "Abarai-san, I assume you have a good explanation for bursting in here and damaging our chambers?"

He moved closer, his eyes meeting Kisho's. The boy's eyes went wide as he looked up at the Kuchiki clan leader.

"You are Byakuya-sama's family?" he gasped.

The leader's lips curved into a slow smile.

"Yes, son. I am Kuchiki Tetsuya, Byakuya-sama's cousin…and these are more of our family. We can sense that you are his son, but I am afraid we do not know your name, child."

"I am Kuchiki Kisho, and I came to ask for your help. Aizen Sousuke has held Byakuya-sama captive in Las Noches since the day I was born. I need your help to get him out of there!"

"What of the rogues?" Tetsuya asked, glancing at Renji, "Has something happened?"

"I'll spare you the long version," Renji said matter-of-factly, "because you and I both know that in another five seconds the second division is going to show up and try to arrest me. Aizen has had Byakuya all of this time. I was able to make contact and we convinced Aizen that Byakuya was having his child so that he'd let his guard down. He released Kisho, but he still has Byakuya. We have to get him out."

Tetsuya stared, processing the information as a sea of flash steps sounded and the room filled with secret mobile corps.

"Surrender, rogue!" commanded Soi Fon, stepping forward and holding her sword up menacingly.

"Hold," said Tetsuya calmly, "This man is under the protection of the Kuchiki clan. He has brought us proof positive that our clan leader is alive and being held captive in Las Noches. We demand that the Gotei 13 assist in his recovery!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya's mind spun dizzily and he tried desperately to make sense of the scene around him.

"S-sousuke?" he murmured softly, touching the brown-eyed shinigami's hand, "Sousuke, what is happening?"

Softened lips touched his and he kissed back, his eyes blinking and trying to focus.

"You are going to be all right now," Aizen said in a low voice, "We just need to get you to your room."

"M-my…room? Sousuke?"

His eyes met the eyes of a silver-haired shinigami he felt he should have known, but the name refused to come to him. As Aizen moved away for a moment, the man leaned over him, pretending to examine him.

"Be quiet and do what he says," the man instructed him, "Your Renji is coming and Sousuke is going to lock you in the tower to keep Abarai from finding you. Your powers are strong enough. When Abarai comes for you, you must break free. I know he confused your mind, but you and Abarai are lovers. You have to remember him."

"Remember…" Byakuya mumbled softly, "remember…who?"

Gin shook his head in frustration.

"Gin," said Aizen, walking back into the room, "They are coming."

"What is that?" Gin said, looking on as a hollow handed Aizen a slip of paper.

"The Kuchiki clan may be able to sense Byakuya's son, but other's will ask for proof of this child's lineage. This is a paternity test."

Gin caught his breath softly as Aizen looked down at the report and froze. His reiatsu rose painfully and he glared at Gin.

"What do you know of this?" he roared, "This brat isn't mine! It is that infernal Abarai's! He took my Byakuya and fouled his body with a bastard child!"

He flash stepped to Byakuya and dragged the mind-fogged noble to his feet. Byakuya moaned softly and placed a hand on his abdomen. Aizen's eyes flared and he pulled the noble along, out of the infirmary and down the hallway to the module lab.

"What are you doing, Sousuke?" called Gin, "He'll lose the child if you…"

"I don't care!" yelled the leader of the hollows furiously, "I want to hurt him! I want to break him!"

"Who, Byakuya?"

"No," growled Aizen, wickedly, "Abarai Renji! I am going to kill then both before his eyes, but I need the child to be born, first!"

"Sousuke, no, he won't…"

Gin broke off as Aizen struck him hard and sent him crashing into the wall. He started to push Byakuya into the module, but started in surprise as a deep rumbling and explosions began to rock the fortress. He grabbed the moaning noble by the front of his yukata and dragged him out of the room. He lifted Byakuya into his arms and was only made more enraged when the noble's head dropped onto his shoulder.

"Sousuke," Byakuya said softly, "It hurts. Can you make it stop? You can make the pain go away."

"I will," the leader of the hollows said cryptically, "I promise you, I will."

He flash stepped down the hallways, listening to the sounds of intense fighting, then ran up the stairs and into the tower room. As kido fire raged outside, he opened a walkway that led to the ceiling and carried Byakuya up to the very top. He flash stepped to the edge and glared down at the attacking shinigamis, who froze upon seeing he was holding Byakuya.

"Byakuya!" screamed Renji, bursting forward.

"Stay where you are!" cried Aizen, "Or I'll kill him and this bastard child of yours! Byakuya is MINE! I took him from you and we are MARRIED! You might have committed adultery with him, but you will never have him OR this brat he's carrying! Now, make them back off!"

"Damn you, Aizen!" yelled Renji, "It's enough already! You're never going to be able to use him the way you want, and I'll tell you why. We're soul bonded! Once that happened, the only one who could father his children is me! Now, you've hurt us all enough already. Just let Byakuya go and we'll leave here."

"Let him go?" Aizen said, a creepy smile rising onto his lips, "You want me to let Byakuya go? What makes you so sure he wants to go? Byakuya, my dear…these shinigamis want you to leave with them. Do you want to go?"

He set the noble on his feet and released him. Byakuya swayed unsteadily and stared at the leader of the hollows in confusion.

"B-but…I am married…to you, Sousuke. Why? Why are they trying to take me?"

"You FREAK!" screamed Renji, raising his sword, "What the fuck did you do to his mind?"

"Do not move, Renji," Aizen said, his eyes glinting in challenge, "If you do, he dies."

He pulled Byakuya close and brought his head to rest on a shoulder. His fingers stroked Byakuya's hair gently.

"Don't let yourself be confused by them. They are only trying to take you away from me."

"I won't go with them," Byakuya replied softly, "Aishiteru yo…"

Aizen froze for a moment at the words. Renji saw the opening and was about to move, when a flash of light stunned everyone and a wolf's howl sounded.

_What? _Renji thought in dismay, _Kisho! He's supposed to have been left in the Seireitei under guard!_

He sensed the boy's wickedly fast attack and tried to move, but was held in place as Kisho shot past him. The boy crashed into Aizen, taking the stunned man off his feet. Suddenly, Renji could move again. He flash stepped forward and blocked Aizen's attack as he tried to slash at Kisho, then placed himself between Aizen and Byakuya. Aizen looked up at Renji and smiled.

"So you think you've won?" he said softly, "But have you?"

Renji inhaled sharply and barely had time to block as kido fire erupted from Byakuya's hands and sent him tumbling. Aizen laughed.

"Maybe I should just let Byakuya kill you!" he cried, "Byakuya, finish him off!"

Renji jumped back to his feet as Byakuya fired another kido blast at him, then sensed Aizen's blade coming in and tried to dodge. Kisho's blade deflected the blow enough that he only got a minor cut, but Byakuya continued to fire kido spells at him, forcing him closer and closer to the edge of the tower.

"Come on, Bya," he said, focusing on the noble's hazed eyes, "I know he messed with your mind, but you have to remember! I'm your lover, not him! We have a child together! And we're about to have another. Come here. Let me get you out of here. I'm going to take you home, Bya."

"H-home?" Byakuya said dizzily.

"Byakuya," said Aizen, raising his reiatsu, "I told you to kill that man. Obey me, Byakuya."

Byakuya's eyes looked from Aizen to Renji.

"Kill him," Aizen repeated, "Kill him now, Byakuya."

Byakuya's eyes widened and he brought his hands to his head and panted for breath.

"What?" he managed, "What's happening?"

"It's okay," Renji said, moving closer.

Aizen flash stepped forward and slashed at Renji, forcing him back and setting off a fierce exchange of attacks. Aizen's kido spell nearly struck a stunned Kisho as he tried to reach Byakuya. But attacking the boy left an opening, and Renji didn't hesitate. He flash stepped forward and cut at Aizen again and the two battled fiercely, neither giving ground. Aizen turned and saw Kisho nearing the distressed noble. He reached out and grabbed Renji's blade, then fired a kido blast that sent the boy and Byakuya tumbling over the edge and off the tower. Renji and Aizen flash stepped madly as the noble and his son began to fall. A moment later, Byakuya seemed to recover slightly and flash stepped, capturing Kisho and carrying both safely to the ground. Renji landed near him and everyone looked around for Aizen.

"Where did he go?" yelled Renji, "Watch out for him!"

"You wonder where I am?" Aizen's voice said softly, "Let me show you…"

Renji and the other rescuers heard the sound of sword slashes and shinigamis began to fall.

"Damn it!" yelled Renji, moving closer to Byakuya and pushing Kisho behind him, "Where is he? Where is he?"

Byakuya looked up and his sharp eye caught a flash of motion headed towards them. He grabbed Renji's hand and turned his weapon, then caught his breath as Renji's weapon sank into Aizen's stunned form and Aizen's weapon sank into Byakuya's chest. And suddenly, Aizen stood with his body close to Byakuya's, his lips close to the noble's ear.

"You see. You will never go home. You will live and die here, as my prisoner."

The injured shinigami tore himself away from Byakuya and flash stepped back into the fortress as the rescue forces pounded it with kido fire. Byakuya stared white-faced at Renji and Kisho, then slowly slid to the ground.

"Byakuya!" cried Renji, falling to his knees and trying to staunch the flow of blood from the noble's chest, "Byakuya! Byakuya, hang on!"


	15. Small Miracles

**Chapter 15: Small Miracles**

"Can't you do something so he won't hurt so bad?" Renji asked Hanatarou, gazing down worriedly at Byakuya.

Kisho slipped a hand into the noble's and called to him softly.

"Byakuya-sama, it's going to be okay. Hanatarou is going to help you."

Byakuya moaned and placed his hand on his abdomen, panting harshly.

"N-no…n-no…Don't…don't hurt my baby! Sousuke…don't…" he gasped deliriously, "I…Renji will find us. You can't keep us locked up here! Renji will know we are gone. Renji?"

"I'm right here," the redhead said, taking Byakuya's hand and kissing him on the forehead, "Hanatarou, how about getting him outta here, ne? He really needs help!"

Hanatarou coaxed Renji away from the noble's side.

"Abarai taichou," he said softly, "Kuchiki-sama is in labor."

"Labor?" Renji mused, "He _can't_ be in labor, Hanatarou. The baby isn't developed enough to be born yet."

"Well," said the healer, "I admit she's barely old enough, but…"

"What are you talking about?" Renji asked, his brow furrowing in confusion, "That baby is nowhere near old enough…"

"Gestation must be at least twenty-eight weeks, and this baby is…"

"This baby is way less than that, Hanatarou!"

"N-no! I checked several times. Abarai taichou, I know for a fact. This baby is about twenty-eight weeks old."

Renji caught his breath sharply and his eyes grew intense.

"But…that means," he whispered in a shocked tone, "That can't be. I know what Byakuya told me about the soul bonding. It can't be. It can't. This doesn't make sense…"

He shook his head determinedly.

"It doesn't matter. We'll puzzle it all out later. Now, Hanatarou, are you sure that this baby can survive if born now?"

"I believe so, yes. If we go to the living world, Kisuke has a special chamber in his shop that we can use to stabilize her once she's born. But the reiatsu is unstable because of the trauma to Kuchiki-sama's body."

"Then, if he needs to be at Kisuke's, we evacuate him now! I can open a garganta right now."

"Very well. I will stabilize him the best I can and we'll go."

"I-I'm s-sorry, Renji," Byakuya said in a hushed, tear-choked voice, "I had to…to keep him from taking K-kisho…"

Renji sighed worriedly and touched Byakuya's face lightly.

"It's going to be okay," he said softly, "Just hang in there."

"He's ready to be evacuated now, sir," Hanatarou said, "I have healed the worst of his wounds and tried to slow his labor."

"You sure you can't stop it?" Renji asked.

"No," the healer said firmly, "The shock of his injury overtaxed his systems and his body can't support the pregnancy. The baby has to be born quickly."

"Fine," Renji said in a low voice, "Come on. The garganta is open."

XXXXXXXXXX

Gin leaned over Aizen and put the final touches on the healing of his chest wound. He wondered briefly if things wouldn't just be better if he killed Aizen then and there, but in the end, decided against it. He was in hollow territory, surrounded by enemies, with nowhere to go. And he had to wait for the right time. He had to get the hougyoku away from Aizen, and as things stood, he still didn't know the way to do that. He had no choice, then, but to carry on the charade of being 'with' Aizen.

He sighed softly, missing already, Byakuya's pleasing presence. He had to admit to himself that having the noble and his boy around had been a good distraction. Now left completely among enemies, the silver-haired shinigami felt very alone.

_But that is what I chose when I joined him._

"G-gin…" Aizen sighed softly.

"You're still healing," he admonished the other man, "Lie still."

"I sh-should k-kill you. You lied to me. Wh-why?"

"That should be obvious," Gin said, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" Aizen asked.

"Look, Byakuya was telling the truth about not being able to make a kid with you. And the reason I know it, is because when you threatened to take Kisho away if he did not, the guy ran. He knew what you would do if you caught up with him, and still, he ran. You should have accepted it then and killed the guy or whatever. Just letting it go on and on without any end in sight was a waste of time and effort, but you wouldn't listen to reason, would you?"

The leader of the hollows looked like he wanted to argue, but instead, sighed softly in resignation.

"You are probably right," he said softly, "I should have killed him a long time ago…and that Rukon rat and their vermin offspring."

He turned his head to look out the window.

"But that gives me something to look forward to as I heal."

Gin sighed and shook his head.

"You never learn, ne?" he said, laying a cool, wet cloth on the man's forehead.

"I never give up what belongs to me."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you warm enough, Byakuya?"

He knew he remembered those words from somewhere…somewhere long before, a cold night, but the cold hadn't reached him at all because of the warmth of love wrapped around him.

"Renji…" he moaned softly.

_"He knows it's you. He always kicks harder when you touch him."_

_"Huh…" huffed Renji, "I hope that doesn't mean he's going to push me around like you do!"_

"Renji, where are you?"

"I'm right here," Renji said, kissing the too cold, pale hand he held, "Hanatarou, he feels too cold."

"It's the shock from his injury. Just keep talking to him."

Renji's voice still reached him, but it sounded distant and garbled. And another voice invaded, trying to drown it out.

_"Don't panic," Aizen said, looking down into the nearly frantic, gray eyes, "I give you my word. I have no intention of hurting you or your baby. Breath slowly, now."_

_"B-but…why? Wh-why am I here?" Byakuya asked, shivering, "I don't know how I…"_

_"Quiet now," Aizen said, brushing over his sweating forehead with a cool, wet cloth, "Everything will be fine. Just concentrate on your baby."_

_Byakuya closed his eyes and forced his breathing to slow, then turned his head slowly, taking in the room around him._

_"Is…is Renji…is he…okay?" Byakuya asked, his eyes turning glazy and unclear, "H-he was…right there…at the center of the…explosion…"_

_"I am sure that Renji is fine," Aizen said calmly._

_"But the…building…exploded…"_

"The building…exploded," he moaned incoherently.

"Yeah, it did," Renji said softly, kissing his fingers again, "but we're fine now. We're going to be fine. And our baby is going to be fine. Hanatarou says we're having a baby girl. I know she'll be the prettiest girl we ever saw. Well, if she looks like you, anyway…"

"B-but…N-nori…"

Hanatarou blanched as the noble's skin went even more white and his heartbeat and breathing stopped.

"Damn it!" swore Renji, "What's happening, Hanatarou?"

"He's gone into shock! I'm trying to bring him out of it! Keep talking to him."

Renji leaned close to the motionless noble, talking soothingly into his ear.

"I know you've gone back there, Bya. But, you have to come back here to me. You're reliving what happened that night, but you have to come back to the present. I know. Awful things happened that night and for a lot of nights after that, but you have to leave that and come back. Our baby girl needs you! And kami knows, I need you! I just got you out of that place. I can't lose you, now, Bya. Not after everything we went through to get you out of there! We have a beautiful son! He's so smart and brave. And he was incredible, sneaking away with us and defending you like that. Remind me to smack the kid for disobeying, ne? But he was beautiful and strong…just like you. And he needs you. So come on…take a breath. It's going to be okay. I promise…"

The redhead held his breath as Byakuya's hand twitched softly, and the noble took a dragging breath, releasing it again in an agonized cry.

"That's right. Hurts like hell, I know. Sorry about that. You always joked that you'd break my hand holding it if you had to be awake during the delivery," Renji said shakily, "Makes me kinda glad you're a little out of it. But you should wake up and see this, Bya. Our baby girl is about to be born. C'mon, open your eyes, ne? You don't want to sleep through this."

He caught his breath in surprise as the noble's dark eyes opened and met his. Byakuya panted softly as a contraction began. He squeezed Renji's hand and breathed slowly through it.

"That's it. Just like we practiced. You're doing great, Bya. Just hand in there and keep breathing slow like that."

He sighed in relief as the contraction ended.

Hanatarou looked up at Renji.

"The baby's doing well, but we need to get her out, because it's putting too much strain on Kuchiki-sama's body."

"What are you saying?" Renji asked sharply.

"I'm saying, I'll have to knock him out and pull the baby's reiatsu out quickly. The labor to get the reiatsu out usually takes some time, but his reiatsu is destabilizing because of the stress on his systems. But you should stay where you are and keep talking to him."

"Okay," Renji said, nodding, "But Hanatarou?"

"Hai?"

"You just remember what this guy and our baby mean to me. We've been through almost ten years of hell to get here. I'm not losing them!"

"Hai!"

Renji's hand tightened on Byakuya's.

"Hanatarou's going to make you sleep for a bit. I promise I'll stay right here. Just relax, Bya. Everything will be okay."

He glanced up at Hanatarou.

"I'm not lying, ne?" he asked softly.

Hanatarou gave him a determined look.

"I'll save them both," he promised.

The healer took a breath, then sent a shock of kido through the noble, sending him into a deep sleep.

_"Kisho, look out and see through the darkness," he whispered to the baby in his arms, "There, in the distance is the way home. That light you see is a light of hope. It burns for us, because even though we are lost and even though it seems that hope has faded, there is something that protects us…and something that will guide us. It will keep us going, moving forward, even though the way is very difficult…and someday…that light is going to lead us home. Then you will know what it was that made me have hope when there was none, what made me stay alive when I felt my heart dying inside. You will know why my eyes still sought beauty, even in the darkness…because always, I knew he was there…out there…trying to find me. He knows I'm not dead…and he will never stop searching…for me…and for you. Keep that hope inside your heart, my Kisho. Never let that hope fade. For when it does, I will fade also…"_

"I'm still here, Bya," Renji's voice whispered into his mind, "I haven't left you. This will all be over soon and we'll be holding our new baby girl.

Byakuya's mind eased at the words, but then he was swept away again.

_"I hope that someday you will welcome me into your arms when we come to our bed, Byakuya, but as this is very new to you, I will not expect reciprocation. I will not be forceful if you do not resist, and will not cause you any undue pain. I am willing to dull your senses while we are together tonight, as you are more vulnerable emotionally and physically from the birth of your child. But in the future, I expect you will be both lucid and cooperative."_

"I want to go home," Byakuya moaned in his sleep, "You have to let me go home…Sousuke."

Renji's lips tightened.

"You're not with him anymore. You're in Karakura Town…at Kisuke's. Unohana taichou is here now, and Hanatarou and Orihime. C'mon, relax and try to remember, you aren't there anymore. That bastard can't touch you anymore!"

"…_we shall have to discuss ways to make you more compliant. Do you understand?"_

_"What? Torture? Go ahead. Torture, death…it doesn't matter…"_

_"Your son matters."_

_He turned on the monitor, which bore the image of Kisho, sleeping comfortably._

_"You would break your promise not to hurt him?" Byakuya asked anxiously._

_"Of course not. But as I told you…the amount of contact you will have with your son will reflect your cooperation. If you please me, then he will be brought back as soon as we are done. If not, then perhaps you will wait to see him."_

_Byakuya stared at the image of his son, blinking slowly. Aizen recaptured his lips and smiled in approval as they moved with his this time and parted when he stroked them lightly with his tongue. He dipped his tongue into Byakuya's warm mouth, then began a gentle exploration, before releasing it and nodding._

_"Much better."_

"D-don't touch me…don't…"

"He's not going to touch you ever again, I promise. I won't let him near you. I'll kill him if he ever shows his face anywhere near you, I swear it!" Renji promised, "Do you hear me? Byakuya?"

Aizen's voice still echoed loudly in his mind, but now Renji's was becoming stronger and sounded closer.

"_That light you see is a light of hope. It burns for us, because even though we are lost and even though it seems that hope has faded, there is something that protects us…and something that will guide us."_

"Renji?" he whispered dazedly.

He felt heavy pressure on his chest and abdomen and heard hushed, soothing voices.

"Renji?"

A hand squeezed his.

"Bya, it's…happening!"

A deep, tingling sensation gripped him and he opened his eyes and looked down. Unohana taichou and Hanatarou leaned over his abdomen, and a bright, white light shined all around. Their hands curved around the light and lifted it out of his body, then wrapped it in a warm blanket as it started to clear and solidify. He gripped Renji's hand tightly and stared in amazement.

"Holy mother of kami! She has got the brightest red hair and biggest gray eyes I've ever seen, and…"

Renji's voice stopped and he made a sound of surprise. Then, Byakuya heard the lovely sound of Renji's pleased laughter.

"R-renji?"

"S-sorry, Bya, it's just that…aha…I…she's got…"

"What?"

"Look over her eyes."

The markings were light and as delicately drawn as Byakuya's calligraphy…a small, swirling black marking over each wide gray eye…

"That looks really elegant, ne?" Renji said, sounding pleased with himself.

"She is lovely," Byakuya managed at sleep tugged at him again, "Just like you, Abarai Renji…"


	16. Shadows

**Chapter 16: Shadows**

Renji stirred, then jumped awake as he realized that Byakuya was no longer in the bed beside him. His eyes strayed around the dark room, and he breathed a sigh of relief as his eyes found the noble's solemn form, outlined in moonlight that came in through the window. He climbed out of bed and made his way to where Byakuya sat in the widow seat with his legs curled beneath him. He sat down next to the noble and slipped an arm around him. A soft chill went through his body at the intense calm in his lover's body, in the complete lack of response to his touch. He neither spoke, nor moved and his eyes remained cast out and staring at the moon.

"Byakuya?" Renji said, slipping a hand into his and lacing their fingers together, "You okay?"

Byakuya only continued to stare out at the moon. Renji inhaled sharply and tightened his arm around the noble, then sighed in relief as his lover's dark eyes turned in his direction.

"Shit," he breathed, "You had me kinda freaked out. I thought you left me again. You were really out of it after the battle. I'm just glad you came out of it enough to see our baby born. We still have to name her."

He blinked as Byakuya continued to look at him calmly.

"Hey, uh, you really shouldn't be up. Come on. Let's get you back in bed. You need to rest while you're still healing. There'll be plenty of time for moongazing when we get home."

He stood and helped the noble to his feet. Byakuya allowed himself to be led to the bed, but stiffened as they reached it. His lips tightening in frustration, Renji moved around to face him and captured the noble's placid face in both hands.

"Byakuya, what's wrong? You're looking at me, but I get the feeling you're not with me at all. Say something, okay? You're starting to really scare me."

"So…" Byakuya said softly, "You intend to abandon your promise to do him no harm?"

"What?" Renji asked, frowning, "C'mon, Byakuya, snap out of it! You're not there anymore. I told you. You are in Karakura Town. Get back into bed. I'm going to go and get Kisuke. He can help. You just lie down and relax for a minute, okay?"

He nudged Byakuya and breathed a sigh of relief as the noble climbed back into bed and leaned against the pillows. Strangely, his eyes focused, not on Renji, but up and to the right of the bed.

"Do not hurt him. I'll do what you say," he said almost tonelessly.

Renji sat down on the bed next to him and kissed him on the cheek. Byakuya remained perfectly still and his eyes remained fixed where they had been before.

"Stay here, okay? I'll be right back with Kisuke."

Byakuya continued to stare at the wall as Renji flash stepped out of the room. As soon as he was alone, he climbed out of bed and walked back to the window. Looking out, he realized that the moon had gone behind a cloud. His eye fell lower on the horizon and found the outline of a familiar building.

"_Are you warm enough, Byakuya?"_

"Renji?" he whispered, placing a hand on the glass.

He was surprised when the window opened and cool air touched his skin. He pushed the window open and climbed out, dropping to the ground and fixing his eyes on the building in the distance. An attempt to use his flash step failed, and it was then that the noble noticed the slim silver band on his wrist that sealed his powers away. He walked then, through the dark, quiet streets until he reached the building he had seen from Urahara's shop.

The color looked slightly different and the facing on the building seemed changed, but it was definitely the building he remembered. A wave of frustration took hold of him as he realized he could not flash step up to the roof, but he located the fire escape and started to climb. Several minutes later, he stood on top of the building, on the edge and looking out over Karakura Town. The view was just as he remembered it…

"I find it hard to believe that you made it this easy for me," said a cold, familiar voice, "You should at least have stayed close to him to make it somewhat of a challenge."

Byakuya inhaled sharply, turning and pulling away from the hands that he had felt touching him. To his surprise, no one was there. He teetered on the edge of the building, his heart pounding as he looked around for Aizen.

"Byakuya," said Renji's soothing voice, "I'm here with you now. Stay right there. I'm going to come out to you. I just don't want you to fall from there."

"Renji," he whispered, blinking to clear his mind.

"Yeah," the redhead said in what he hoped was a calm voice, "It's just me. We're alone here. You want to talk to me about something?"

He moved closer slowly, watching Byakuya's eyes for any hint of distress.

"This would be a good place from which to watch the fireworks," he said quietly, looking out over the town.

"Uh-huh," Renji agreed, continuing forward and remembering the conversation that Byakuya's mind seemed to be replaying, "You can see everything from here."

_Just don't panic, Bya._

"And there is another reason I lured you out here all alone, Abarai," Byakuya went on.

Renji closed the distance between them and slipped an arm around the noble, smiling as he remembered.

"What's that?" he asked.

"I received word from the council this morning, Renji."

"And?" Renji said, remembering the breathless feeling he'd had hearing those very words in this same place all of those years ago.

"And…Council has unanimously approved our union."

"I thought they weren't so fond of me…of us."

Byakuya smiled.

"Yes, but they are pleased that you ensured a strong heir for the clan. And that obligation having been met, they have no further objection to our marriage."

Tears rose in the redhead's eyes as Byakuya's hands found his and the dark, uncertain eyes held him in place.

"Will you marry me, Renji?" he asked quietly, "Will you come here with me on New Year's Eve and marry me while the fireworks go off all around us? We'll have to sip sparkling cider rather than champagne, but there will be beautiful lights all around us…happiness, laughter…friends. So…will you?"

Renji kissed the soft fingertips, then his lover's lips.

"That sounds perfect…wonderful," Renji said, swallowing hard.

"Then…you will?"

"Hell, yes, I will," he whispered, wrapping his arms around the noble and gently inducing sleep.

Byakuya's eyes closed and his weight fell against Renji. The redhead blinked away the tears, and again the rage flared inside him over what Aizen had taken away from them.

_Damn it! We'll never be like we were. Bya's a fucking mess…and I want to kill that bastard so badly it hurts!_

"We're going to make him pay for this," Renji said in a low growl, "That son of a bitch is going to die for hurting you. But first I need to get you back to Kisuke and have him take a look at you. He broke through the programming that Aizen used on Kisho. I know he can clear up the confusion in your mind. And as soon as you are okay, I'm going after him."

"Dad?" Kisho's voice called out from the area of the fire escape.

"I'm right here, kid," Renji answered, lifting Byakuya and carrying him back towards where the boy waited, "What're you doing out here? I thought Kisuke told you it still wasn't safe to go running around Karakura Town."

"Gomen nasai…I wasn't running around, Dad. I saw that Byakuya-sama was gone and then I saw you going out the window. I was worried. Is Byakuya-sama going to be all right?"

"Yeah, Kisho. He's going to be fine."

He felt a pang of sadness at the shiver that went through the boy's body.

"He looks really sick."

"He was hurt pretty bad in the battle, and then he went into labor early with your sister. You have to expect he's not going to look his best after that."

"Is that why we haven't named her yet?" Kisho asked.

"I thought we should wait until all of us could talk about it, you know. And Byakuya needs to rest so he'll be up to that, so…"

He noticed then, that tears had risen in the boy's eyes and he knelt down on the rooftop, still holding Byakuya against him, but slipping an arm around Kisho's shoulders.

"Hey, he's going to be okay, really, Kisho. Kisuke will get him all cleared up and…"

"He's not going to sleep like he did before…in the tower…for all those years?"

The tears overflowed and leaked onto the boy's face.

"B-because, Aizen hurt him so badly by taking me away that he lost consciousness and he didn't wake up again until I found him and woke him up."

"You…woke Byakuya?" asked Renji, brushing away the boy's tears and offering him a comforting smile.

Kisho nodded.

"I was in trouble for not putting out Aizen's weapons out for his practice. I ran off and was trying to find a place to hide. Gin-san told me to go up into the tower, so I did. And I found Byakuya-sama in the tower. He looked as beautiful as Hekima always said he was…and when I touched him, he woke up. That was when Aizen-s…Aizen made me Byakuya-sama's servant."

Renji's lips tightened.

"He probably worried that he would lose consciousness again, so he wanted to keep you close to Byakuya. It was also a way to make Byakuya obey him, because he'd worry that Aizen would take you away from him again. Damn…"

He took a breath and tightened his arm around the boy.

"Well, it's going to be all right now. You and Byakuya are with me, and I'm not going to let Aizen get near you two again."

"But, Byakuya-sama is unconscious…"

"He's sleeping," Renji said bracingly, "I made him sleep so that I could take him back to Kisuke for more healing."

"He got worse?"

"Ah, he was just sort of…confused. He's been through a lot, Kisho. He needs healing and a lot of rest, that's all."

The boy still looked worried, but he nodded and followed as Renji gathered Byakuya back into his arms and flash stepped down from the building. He stole glances at Byakuya as they walked back towards Kisuke's shop.

"You're wrong about something," Kisho said, breaking the worried silence.

"What's that?" Renji asked, looking down at the boy.

"Byakuya-sama needs something more than healing and rest, Dad. He needs us."

Renji smiled sadly and nodded.

"Well, he has that, doesn't he?" he said softly, "Though I wonder if knows that right now."

"I think he does," said Kisho, "After all, when he was unconscious for so long, he still woke up just when I needed him. I think that once he wakes up all of the way, he'll know we're there and he'll get better faster."

"I hope you're right, kid. I think you are, but this is one of those times where the things that happen to me, and around me, make me wonder if I really know shit. You know what I mean?"

Kisho smiled at him.

"I think so."

They walked into the shop and were met by Kisuke and Tessai, the latter of which took Byakuya from Renji's arms and carried him back to his room. He set the noble down in the bed and then moved around the room, setting a shield in place.

"This shield will keep Byakuya from leaving the room until he's more lucid. I don't like having to resort to this, but it's going to be a while, I think, before our friend is functioning on all thrusters. I didn't know how bad it was before. I had hoped it was just that he was knocked loopy from the battle and that he'd clear up after the birth, but I think we can agree, it's not that simple."

"Kisuke, he's going to flip out if he feels like we're locking him up," Renji said worriedly.

"That's why we aren't going to leave him alone. Tessai and I will be in there for the next few hours, working to break through Aizen's hypnosis, but I don't think that's all that's affecting him. He's been under heavy physical and mental stress, so we're going to keep things calm around him and let him sleep a lot. We'll see if that brings him around."

"What if it doesn't?" asked Kisho worriedly, "What will you do then?"

Kisuke smiled at the boy.

"It'll work," Kisuke said firmly, "He'll be back to firing pink petals and bossing around the Kuchiki elders again in no time."

"Can I sit with him?"

"Kisuke?" queried Renji, and a look of understanding passed between them.

"Yeah, sure," said the shopkeeper, "after Tessai and I are done, then you and Renji can take over and sit with Kuchiki-san to your heart's content."

"But we need to clear out now and let them work," Renji said, placing a hand on his son's shoulder, "Come on. We'll go and see your sister. We have to be thinking about names, you know…so that when Byakuya wakes up, we'll have some ideas to share with him."

Kisho nodded and followed Renji down the hallway to Kisuke's laboratory. Inside the lab, the two found the healing unit that Kisuke had placed the infant in to help with her development. Rukia rose from the chair she was sitting in next to the unit and smiled sadly at them.

"How is she?" Renji asked, looking down at the sleeping infant.

"She was awake a little while ago…crying, so I put my hands in the glove openings there and held her and sang to her a bit and she settled right down."

"She's so damned tiny," Renji said, his eyes darkening, "She really wasn't ready to be born."

"How _was_ she born alive, Renji?" Rukia asked, "You and I both know that she was nowhere near old enough to be born."

"And Byakuya's still not lucid enough to tell us."

"Did you find him, then?" Rukia asked.

"Yeah, I found him on top of that building."

"Y-you mean…?"

"Yeah."

"What was he doing there?"

"Remembering," Renji said softly, "He was remembering the day he asked me to marry him. Actually, it was more like he was reliving it."

"Poor Nii-sama," said Rukia, "So…can I go see him?"

Renji shook his head.

"Kisuke and Tessai are in there working on him. But after they're done, I'm sure it would be good for him to know you're there."

Rukia nodded.

The two watched quietly as Kisho walked slowly to the unit where his sister was confined and used the glove inserts to reach in and stroke her tiny fingers. The infant's eyes opened and locked on his and Kisho smiled down at her.

"Hi, little sister," he said softly.

"Kisho," said Rukia, "Would you like to feed her? I can show you how."

Kisho's lips curved into a smile and he nodded. As Renji watched, Rukia stood next to the boy and showed him how to feed the tiny baby. As Kisho's gloved hand fed her, the baby's fingers rose up and curled around her brother's pinky.

"She knows her big brother," said Rukia, blinking away a tear, "She knows that big brothers always look out for their little sisters."

Kisho glanced up at his aunt.

"How long does she have to stay in there?" he asked softly.

"She should be out of there in a couple more days," Rukia assured him, "It's going to be all right, Kisho."

"I know," said the boy, "I just wanted to know when I could hold her for real, that's all."


	17. The Promise

**Chapter 17: The Promise**

**(One Year Later…)**

Renji stood in front of the mirror and looked himself over, making sure his formal kimono was perfectly positioned on his body. He took his time, combing out his long, red hair and twisted it into a long braid down his back. Once he was satisfied that he was in order, he left his bedroom and stepped out into the gardens where Kuchiki Tetsuya and Kuchiki Rukia sat, drinking tea and talking quietly. They looked up and nodded in greeting as Renji approached them.

"You look great," Rukia said softly, admiring his kimono.

"Yeah, well," the redhead replied, his brown eyes holding a sad shine, "It's an important day for us."

"Nii-sama will be so happy, Renji."

Renji gave a soft, gently sarcastic chuckle.

"When is he _not_ happy? The guy just keeps reliving what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives. I guess if you have to have your mind turned to mush and lose all of your marbles, that's the way to go, ne?" he said, unbidden tears rising in his eyes.

Rukia stood and embraced the redhead, as Tetsuya sat, quietly observing them with dark, troubled eyes.

"Well, today, you are going to make that day really happen for him," Rukia whispered, "And today, you are going to officially become my brother too."

"Yeah," Renji said softly, looking back at Tetsuya, "Thanks to you and the council of elders."

"Well," said Tetsuya, giving the redhead a sad smile, "We all know that Byakuya-sama intended to marry you that day. And his physician at the center seems to think that if anything might clear his mind and help him find his way back to us, bringing that day he dreams of to an end seems like the best direction to go."

Renji sighed softly and pulled free of Rukia.

"Okay, it's time for me to go and meet him. I'll see you guys later."

"We'll be there," Rukia promised.

Renji nodded, then turned and flash stepped away. He moved on swift feet, through the dark streets of the Seireitei, to the edge of town and into the small, private recovery center there. The night guard looked up and unlocked the door, letting him into the facility.

"Good evening, Abarai-san," he said, bowing, "They have him ready for you."

"Arigato," Renji said, smiling.

He went first to the nurse's station, where he signed in, then he was led through the hallways to a locked room, where a quiet, pale figure sat in the window seat, gazing out at the stars. The nurse unlocked the door.

"He's been looking forward to your visit all day, Abarai-san," she said, smiling wistfully, "Best of luck to you. I hope this works."

"Me too," Renji said, stepping quietly into the room.

He walked to the window seat and sat down next to the white clad noble, setting down a package he had brought with him. He moved closer to Byakuya and wrapped an arm around him, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"You behaving yourself?" he asked softly.

Byakuya turned and met his eyes, looking surprised to see him and smiling.

"Renji!" he said, returning the redhead's embrace, "I wasn't expecting to see you yet. You know, they say it's bad luck to see the one you're about to marry before the ceremony. What brings you?"

Renji handed Byakuya the package, then watched as Byakuya opened it and removed the formal kimono inside it.

"This is beautiful, Renji!" the noble exclaimed softly, "You…mean for me to wear this to our wedding?"

Renji smiled and nodded, his eyes misting as he looked at the replica of the kimono his lover had been wearing the night he disappeared.

"Well, you don't have to, but…I had it made for you…for tonight."

Byakuya stood and let the white yukata he was wearing fall away. The redhead swallowed hard, his eyes gently tracing the beautiful lines of his lover's body, wistfully noting how much more slender he had become while Aizen's captive. Byakuya slipped into the lovely red and black creation and Renji combed the long strands of satiny black hair. Making sure all was in order, he took the noble's hand and led him to the bedroom door. Byakuya stopped at the door, a confused look crossing his face.

"Renji?" he queried softly.

"It's okay," the redhead said, squeezing his hand, "Tonight is the night we make this all happen."

"But…"

"Come with me, Byakuya. You've been in this place, dreaming about this day ever since you came back home to me. Everyone is going to be there. Rukia, the council, Yoruichi, Kisuke, Ichigo…and our kids…Kisho and Emiko. They're already there…and they're just waiting for us to get there. It's New Year's Eve, Byakuya. We need to go now so we don't miss the fireworks."

He took the noble's face in his hands and kissed the soft, pliant lips.

"You ready?" he asked softly.

Byakuya blinked in confusion, but managed a short nod. Renji smiled and lifted him into his arms, then opened a family senkaimon and carried him out of the center and into the precipice world.

"You know," the noble said, "You only have to carry me over the threshold after the ceremony. You don't need to carry me to the ceremony itself."

"I want to," Renji said, smiling, "That way, I can make sure you don't run off and get into trouble."

"Why would I do that?" the noble asked, "I wouldn't miss our wedding for anything, Renji."

"No," Renji agreed, "Neither would I."

He carried his lover through the dark passageway and emerged into the living world, passing through the dark streets until he came to the apartment building where they had originally planned to marry. He set Byakuya down and the two walked, hand in hand into the building. Byakuya paused, his brow furrowing, as they reached the penthouse apartment and walked inside. He stopped and stared at the gathering of people, the decorations and the door leading out onto the roof. Renji studied his expression for a moment and moved closer, squeezing his hand gently.

"Bya, are you okay?"

The noble blinked slowly, then looked up at Renji and smiled.

"I'm…fine," he said, turning towards the door that led out onto the roof.

They passed through the door together and Byakuya caught his breath softly as he spotted the black sofa near the door. He sat down and Renji set a glass of champagne in his hand. Byakuya studied the glass for a moment and tasted the golden liquid inside, then froze for a moment, he free hand sliding down to rest on his abdomen. He looked down at himself in confusion, then looked up at Renji.

Renji sat down next to him and took the champagne glass from his hand. He set it on the table beside the sofa and took Byakuya's hands in his.

"Okay, I'm going to just explain this…and I'm going to hope that it gets through to you. Byakuya, we came here a really long time ago to get married. Aizen Sousuke blew up this building and he took you away from us. For a long time, you couldn't come back. And even after I came for you and brought you home, you kept on reliving this day. And I thought that…maybe…maybe if we came back here. If we came back here with everyone we love. If we finish what we started that night…then maybe, just maybe, it will help you break free of this dream world you're living in…and really come home to us. I want you to get up with me and walk out onto the roof. Your cousin is going to marry us, and we are finally going to have everything that Aizen stole from us that night."

He stood and brought Byakuya to his feet. The noble stared at him, as though the rest of the world had disappeared entirely and followed him to where Tetsuya waited. Tetsuya smiled at the two of them, then began the ceremony.

"We are gathered today to right a horrid wrong, to join these two, who should have been joined years ago, and to bring to an end the plans of the one who took the beauty of this union and shattered it. This joining is the ultimate expression of the love that exists between these two souls…and their joining brings home the beautiful message that love, in the end, conquers all."

"Renji?" Byakuya whispered, "Renji, look…it's snowing."

And indeed, white flakes fell softly around them.

"Are you okay?" the redhead asked softly as Tetsuya continued, "Are you warm enough, Byakuya?"

Byakuya froze, the words repeating softly in his clouded mind. His eyes squinted and his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Bya?"

"Not much longer now," he whispered, "and I will officially be yours."

Tetsuya stopped speaking and their friends watched silently as Renji placed his hands on the noble's face and stared into the dark, confused gray eyes.

"You _are_ mine, Bya," he said firmly, "You have been mine all along. And we don't need any damned piece of paper to prove it!"

He let his hand fall down to rest on the noble's chest, over his heart.

"It doesn't matter anymore that he took you away…that he kept you away from me…that he took Kisho from you. Because here…in here, where it really counts, we were always together. Even all that time when I was hiding in the desert, watching and waiting, you were with me. You are with me right now, and you will be forever. And I swear to you…that man will never touch you again. He will never take anything else from us. And we won't waste another day worrying about what plans he has for us. You are home, Byakuya. We have Kisho and our girl, Emiko. We have our family and friends, and we have each other. The last step…is for you to see that…and to come back from that place…and really be with us again. Please…look at me, Byakuya. Look at me and tell me that you understand! Tell me that you're here! I love you. I searched for you everywhere!"

The redhead's voice failed him for a moment and he wiped his eyes, then forced himself to continue.

"I found you and brought you home, but now you've gone somewhere where I can't follow. I can't save you. I can only reach you if you reach for me too. Hear me! Please!"

He felt a shock move through the noble's body and the dark eyes blinked and slowly began to clear. Renji's red-brown eyes flashed and he looked up at Tetsuya.

"Do it," he said tersely, "Finish it now!"

"Do you, Abarai Renji take Kuchiki Byakuya to be your lawfully wedded spouse? To have and to hold from this day forward? For better of for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health? Will you love, honor and cherish him for all of the days of your lives?"

"I will," Renji whispered, tears running down his face.

"And do you, Kuchiki Byakuya, take Abarai Renji to be your lawfully wedded spouse, to have and to hold from this day forward? For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health? Will you love, honor and cherish him, for all of the days of your lives?"

All eyes watched as Byakuya and Renji stared into each others' eyes and a long, breathless moment passed.

"Bya?" Renji whispered, squeezing the noble's hand, "Please…say you will."

Byakuya's eyes blinked slowly again, and the noble took a deep breath of the icy night air. He felt the cold snowflakes melting on his skin and gradually began to make sense of what was happening around him.

"I…" he breathed.

Renji held his breath, afraid to move or speak for fear of stopping whatever was moving his lover to return.

"I…I will," Byakuya said, shivering as Renji's arms wrapped tightly around him.

And the impetuous redhead didn't wait for an invitation, but fastened his mouth on the noble's, leaving Tetsuya smiling wryly as he finished the ceremony.

"Byakuya and Renji, having made your promises to one another, and with the blessing of the council of elders, I now pronounce you partners in life, bonded love, and joined in a union that shall endure for as long as you both shall live. As you have already exchanged a kiss as a token of your affections, as soon as said kiss is completed, we can begin the festivities."

He paused, watching in amusement as Renji and Byakuya continued to kiss.

"Or perhaps _we_ will celebrate and you may join all of us when you are finished."

He lifted his eyes and smiled at their gathered friends and family.

"I now present for the first time, Abarai-Kuchiki Byakuya and Renji!"

"NO!" hissed a vicious voice, from out of the darkness, "I will not allow this!"

Everyone froze as Aizen Sousuke appeared on the rooftop near Byakuya and Renji. Renji placed himself between Aizen and the noble, summoning his blade and holding it defensively in front of him. A sea of other blades appeared and the reiatsu around the rooftop rose dangerously.

"That man is married to me," Aizen said calmly, "His name is Aizen Byakuya."

"Like HELL it is!" Renji shouted, his blade glowing red and shifting into shikai form, "You never had any right to him. He and I chose each other! We were supposed to be married that night, and we would have been if you hadn't…"

A kido blast sent Renji crashing onto the rooftop, stunned. He stared at Byakuya in disbelief as the noble stepped past his fallen form and began to move towards Aizen.

"Bya! Bya, what are you doing? Why did you…attack me?" Renji gasped.

"Don't you understand?" said Aizen, holding out a welcoming hand in the noble's direction, "Aizen Byakuya knows where he belongs. He wouldn't lower himself to be with a Rukon mongrel like you. Come, Byakuya…it is time to return home."

Byakuya moved forward in slow steps, stopping in front of Aizen and looking up into his eyes.

"Aizen Sousuke," the noble said in an icy voice, "Leave this place now and never return!"

Aizen's smile faded and his eyes glinted dangerously.

"I see," he said solemnly, "You want to challenge me. Are you sure, Byakuya? With all of these innocent people here? Where they could be hurt? You wish to challenge me?"

"Yes," said Byakuya, summoning his weapon, "I challenge you!"

"Fool!" hissed Aizen, "You and that dog…and your bastard children will all die, Byakuya! Prepare to pay the price for crossing me!"

Petals exploded around the two, forcing Aizen back as he drew Kyouka Suigetsu. Byakuya flash stepped forward, striking again and stopping him from loosing his shikai. Aizen's hands came up and fended off a wave of incoming attacks. He deflected all of the attacks and closed in on Byakuya again. The noble froze as Aizen disappeared, then reappeared closer and slashed at him. He loosed a barrage of kido as Renji rose up behind him and sent Zabimaru in the traitor's direction. Byakuya focused deeply and formed the sea of petals into pliable, sakura ropes that snaked around Aizen's wrists and ankles. Renji's skeletal snake rose up and swept towards him. But at the last moment, Aizen broke free and flash stepped clear. He used his shikai to hide himself and shot towards Byakuya, his blade extended and aiming to kill. His eyes widened in shock as the noble's eyes seemed to find him at the last moment, and a pale hand captured his blade.

"Hikoutsu Taihou!" yelled Renji.

The blast descended on Aizen, where Byakuya held him in place until the last moment, then glared into his eyes and flash stepped away. The snake crashed down and light exploded all around them, blinding everyone for a moment as the light faded and the dust cleared.

"Is he gone?" Renji whispered, standing and moving forward to take Byakuya's hand.

"I don't see him," said the noble.

The two shinigamis and their guests looked around, but still saw nothing. Finally Renji took a relieved breath.

"I guess he backed off."

He turned to Byakuya, smiling.

"You had me fooled. I thought you were going to leave with him."

"Never," Byakuya said, smiling, "I am yours, Renji."

The guests watched with smiling lips as the newlyweds returned to kissing. Kisho grinned and looked around, his smile fading as he saw something heading for his two fathers. He realized suddenly, that Aizen's power had made the attack invisible to the eyes of the others, but somehow, the youth could still see it. His blade was in his hands in an instant and he shot towards his fathers, the sound of the wolf's cry ringing out all around him. Time seemed to slow as the silver moon wolf shot towards a frozen Aizen and Kisho crashed into his fathers, pushing them out of the path of the incoming blast. He shielded instinctively as the blast struck him dead on. He heard Aizen roar in pain and fury, then everything went mercifully dark.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Kisho," called a soft, familiar voice, "Kisho. Son, wake up…"

He groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on his back, staring up into a sky that was filled with fireworks. He gasped softly at the lovely sight, distracted from the aches and pain in his body.

"How do you feel, son?" Byakuya asked, looking down into his eyes with concern.

"He _should_ be dead," Renji mused furiously, "Pulling a stunt like that! You took a direct kido blast from that bastard. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I would say, _Like father, like son_," said Byakuya, smiling, "Do not yell at him Renji. He was only following your fine example. He was protecting the people he loves. He was willing to do anything to achieve that. I think that he was very courageous."

"Yeah?" said Renji, angrily, "Well, if his shielding had been even a bit less and the second division hadn't shown up to keep Aizen…"

"Goodness, you're making a fuss, Abarai," Byakuya said, shaking his head, "You're going to miss all of the fireworks. Come. We are safe from him, now. And I think he has gotten the message that the Abarai-Kuchiki family is not to be trifled with."

"If you say so," the redhead sighed, helping Kisho to his feet, "But kid, so help me, if you EVER do anything like that again…"

"Renji…"

"I just wanted to be like you two."

Byakuya and Renji froze, staring down at their son's proud eyes.

"I wanted to be like my fathers…brave, strong…and not afraid anymore."

Tetsuya stepped forward and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Kisho-kun," he said, smiling, "I think there is no doubt in anyone's mind here that you are all of those things…and more."

He turned the boy back in the direction of the fireworks as Renji wrapped his arms around Byakuya and gazed into the noble's now-clear gray eyes.

"So…you're really with me now, ne?" he asked, anxiously.

"I'm really with you," Byakuya assured him, "Arigato, Renji. Despite everything, Aizen…the walls he put up around me…my own madness…you never gave up on me."

"Yeah, well…you never gave up either. All that time, stuck there with him and you never gave up."

"Renji…I fell apart."

"No…no you held yourself together until I could come for you."

"But I lost my mind."

"For a while, yeah, while you worked things out. But you're here now. Neither of us gave up. And now we're married and we have two beautiful kids. And we won't let anything take that away from us…not ever again!"

Byakuya smiled and melted into the redhead's arms.

"Not ever again," he agreed softly.


End file.
